Thank you for inviting me in this wonderful province of Ibarra, such an ironically cold place because of the weather but filled with heartwarming welcome of the people.
Let me introduce myself first to everyone here. I am Luzviminda Manalo from Iloilo.
I stand here today to tell you a story of this woman who surpassed all the hardships in life in order to come to this point. In the past few months, a lot of people have been asking me, “Why run for presidency?”.
My answer is simple. I wanted to experience growth and stability, a breath of fresh air, a smile in the faces of every person I will meet, among others this nation deserve to experience and live by.
Like you, I experienced living in the rural area– the lowest priority of this country in this time. I lived in a town where jobs are not available and buying the basic necessities would nearly be impossible or most of the times, cannot be afforded. My parents do not have jobs. They plant vegetables in our backyard and sell it to nearby towns in order to sustain us. Schools were also not accessible. It would take hours of walk in order to get to school because of undeveloped road. Healthcare is nowhere to be found nearby. This is sad, but its true. The law provides for our human rights embellished under Article 3 of the 1987 Constitution. Yes, we have rights, but sadly we are deprived.
We have had several presidents who lead this country but the problem in poverty could not be fully eradicated. We cannot eradicate poverty as long as there is one Filipino who cannot afford the basic necessities of a human being.
If I become the President, I will make an outline plan for economic revival. It is a bold and forward-looking plan to increase jobs and opportunities for the Filipino people. I would also make education accessible because it is the basic right of everybody, the children and any one else who wanted to pursue their ambitions in life. Through education, we can stop this cycle of poverty. Corruption is a cause, which is why i stand here in front of you to lead a transparent government, if ever i win this position. We Filipinos, deserve more than this.
Of course, I cannot fulfill these promises alone. I need you, I need each and every Filipino of this country to support me. The road may be rough, the journey may be tough, but if you join and support me, it would surely be worthwhile. Hand in hand, side by side, we shall conquer poverty.
Written by: Honey June Gabiota and Klynne Clarise Kuizon
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