COC FILING. AKO OFW Party-list Rep. Ron Salo (left) and lawyer David Castillon speak to the press on the first day of the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) at the Manila Hotel Tent City on Tuesday (Oct. 1, 2024). Filing will be up to Oct. 8. (Photo by Yancy Lim)
MANILA – The Kabayan and AKO OFW party-lists have filed their certificate of nomination – certificate of acceptance of nomination (CON-CAN) before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday, both promising to further advance the rights of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and seafarers.
The groups submitted their papers at the start of the eight-day filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) at the Manila Hotel Tent City.
Kabayan party-list campaign manager, Rep. Ron Salo, said his group would continue strengthening the representation of the marginalized sectors, especially the OFWs.
Salo touted his group’s support for the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, which President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. earlier signed into law.
“Makakasigurado ang mga seafarers natin na protektado ang mga seafarers natin. Kung magkaroon sila ng any legal concern, masisigurado na maibibigay ‘yong tama sa kanila (Our seafarers can rest assured that they are protected with this law. If they have legal concerns, they will get the appropriate assistance they need),” he said.
Salo noted that on top of pushing for OFW rights, the Kabayan party-list would also support calls to amend the party-list system, primarily due to cases of misrepresentation.
“At the same time, makikinig talaga tayo sa mga concerns ng citizens natin sapagkat nais naman po natin talaga na magkaroon ng genuine representation ‘yong party-list system (We will listen to the concerns of our citizens because we want to really provide a genuine representation in the party-list system),” he said.
AKO OFW nominee David Castillon, who had served as the legal counsel of a recruitment agency, said his group would propose laws that would address the perennial issues confronting Filipino workers abroad.
He said he would also push for more bilateral labor agreements between the Philippines and a host country to strengthen protection for the OFWs.
Speaking to the press, Castillon pointed out that immediate repatriation is not a solution.
Instead, the government should work closely with stakeholders and give more teeth to the law to ensure that regulation is done in the host country, he said.
“Ang naiisip lamang na solusyon ng mga naunang nag-represent sa mga OFWs kapag may problema, pauwiin ang ating OFWs at parusahan ang mga recruitment agencies (When a problem arises, the first solution of those who previously represented the OFWs is to send them home and punish the recruitment agencies),” he said.
“Mali pong doktrina na pag-aawayin natin ang OFWs at ang ating mga recruitment agencies (This doctrine of pitting the OFWs and recruitment agencies against each other is not right).”
As of this posting, a total of eight party-list groups have filed their CON-CAN for the 2025 national elections, among them Ang Bumbero ng Pilipinas, Manila Teachers’ party-list, Lingap, AGAP, Akay ni Sol, Buhay, and Bayan Muna.
The Comelec said about 160 party-lists are eligible to participate in the 2025 elections.
Sixth term
Meanwhile, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez also filed COC for another term as representative of Leyte’s 1st district.
He filed his COC before Atty. Maria Goretti Canas, acting provincial election supervisor of the province of Leyte, at the Tacloban City Comelec office.
Romualdez, who is serving his 5th term as congressman, thanked his constituents for their continued trust and support.
Under his leadership in the 19th Congress, Romualdez has been instrumental in uniting the House of Representatives to pass laws that respond to the evolving needs of the Filipino people under the able leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
Navotas Lone District Representative Toby Tiangco also filed his COC under Partido Navoteno. (with a report from Zaldy De Layola)
