Press Release
November 30, 2009

Loren unveils green, humanitarian campaign for VP

Senator Loren Legarda formalized yesterday her vice presidential bid under a "green platform of governance" that would wage a humanitarian campaign for lasting peace, economic recovery and environmental protection.

"I have answered the call of our people to make the Office of the Vice President more relevant in addressing the inter-related problems of hunger and poverty and the very serious threat brought about by climate change," said Loren in filing her certificate of candidacy (COC) at the Commission on Election.

"Our problems are varied and grave and we also must grapple with Climate Change, with its threat to lives and properties, our agriculture, industries, and our economy," said Loren.

"With my partnership with Senator Manny Villar, we can now truly say that the majority of our poor countrymen are now represented in this, our people's most important fight to bring about meaningful change."

Loren said she would continue working for effective governance, without which, she said, there'd be no honest-to-goodness delivery of public service.

"To free our people from the shackles of poverty, we must first ensure an effective, corruption-free government," said Loren, the Nationalist Peoples' Coalition (NPC) stalwart who had been chosen by Senator Villar, the Nacionalista Party (NP) presidential standard-bearer, as his running mate.

Likewise, Loren emphasized the need for the next administration to protect the rights and welfare of OFWs, and push for the resumption of the peace process with rebel groups.

Loren said that she and Villar had decided to file their certificates of candidacy (COCs) on National Heroes Day to stress that it will take a heroic effort on the part of every Filipino to move the Philippines forward.

The two candidates, along with the NP senatorial slate, attended Mass at the Manila Cathedral before proceeding to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office to submit their COCs.

"Whoever said that heroism is long gone is mistaken, proven wrong by the many Filipinos who rose up to the challenge of typhoons Ondoy, Pepeng and Santi, including a number who gave up their lives so others may live," she said.

Villar-Legarda tandem held a well-attended proclamation rally at Plaza macario Sakay in Moriones, Tondo, Manila on Sunday evening where they bared the outlines of their platform of governance and introduced their senatorial line-up.

During the rally, Loren also stressed the need to strengthen the Filipino cultural heritage by drawing inspiration from Filipinos who had done the country proud like boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, Tony award winner Lea Salonga, teen sensation Charice Pempengco and CNN global hero Efren Peñaflorida.

"Bagaman malaking karangalan ang dala ng mga Pilipinong ito sa ating bansa, ako po ay nangangarap na sana naman ang Pilipino muling makilala, hindi sa galing ng iilan, kundi sa kadakilaan natin bilang lahi," said Loren, a multi-awarded journalist before she ran for the Senate in 1998 and again in 2007, in both times garnering the most number of votes.

She had been credited for a number of landmark laws like the Clean Air Act, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, the Anti-Violence against Women and Children Act and the Magna Carta for Women.

Loren had also been named United Nations Asia-Pacific Champion for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction, in recognition of her lifelong environmental advocacy, including as founding chair of the environmental organization Luntiang Pilipinas.

She has also been actively campaigning to increase livelihood opportunities for Filipinos through the holding of jobs fairs, as well as helping them gain access to education and health care.

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