Legarda Welcomes Endorsement of Makabayan

MANILA, November 8, 2012-Stressing on the advocacies that she has been espousing, Senatorial topnotcher Senator Loren Legarda today welcomed the endorsement of the Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan (Makabayan).

Legarda, who is running under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), her political party since 2007, said that she accepted the endorsement of Makabayan as she has also been working on the advocacies that the organizations under the coalition are advancing.

“I thank the leaders and members of Makabayan for their endorsement. The organizations under Makabayan and I have long been partners in our aim for a better society as seen in our respective works to improve the lives of the poor, workers, women, children, teachers, OFWs, and our indigenous people,” she said.

“The people’s interest has always been my priority as gleaned from the work I have done for the past 15 years, not only in legislation but also in ensuring that the laws I crafted are implemented effectively. Even outside the halls of the Senate, I actively work for the advancement of programs that would address the needs of the Filipino people,” Legarda stressed.

To provide new opportunities and promote better livelihood, Legarda pushed for the enactment of the Barangay Kabuhayan Act, Magna Carta for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, and the Agri-Agra Reform Credit Act.

To address the health needs of the Filipinos, she authored the Expanded Senior Citizens Act and is pushing for the approval of the Universal Healthcare Coverage bill.

To protect the rights of women and children, Legarda authored the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act, and the Anti-Child Labor Law. She is also ushering the passage of the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons bill.

To enhance resilience to disasters of every community in the country, she authored the Climate Change Act and the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, and sponsored the People’s Survival Fund Law.

To ensure the protection of Filipino workers including overseas Filipino workers, Legarda sponsored the ILO Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers Convention and the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, while pushing for the approval of the Kasambahay Bill. She also authored the law that mandates the increase in the salary of teachers and other government employees.

To preserve the Filipino culture and protect the rights of IPs, the Senator supported various Schools of Living Traditions and the documentation of indigenous knowledge and traditions. Legarda also proposed measures to protect the traditional property rights of IPs and to penalize acts of discrimination against them.