Press Release
March 25, 2010

Barangays to get full support under Villar-Legarda administration

Barangays would play a key role in delivering basic services under a Manny Villar and Loren Legarda administration. Legarda, NP-NPC-LDP vice presidential candidate, made the promise at the third Provincial Convention of the Liga ng Mga Barangay Iloilo this week.

"The nation deserves a President and a Vice President who see barangays as the most efficient delivery units in terms of public services, and not mere pawns in political and electoral exercises," Legarda told the barangay leaders who gathered at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu.

"Manny Villar and Loren Legarda will give you that kind of leadership. The May elections provide us a chance to go for real change - a change that will be led by the barangays under the guidance of a president and vice president who knows what the country's problems are and how to solve these."

Among the most basic problems is the distribution of free, not just cheaper, medicines at the community level.

She related how a grandmother in one of her sorties in the Visayas whispered to her if she could do something to lower the prices of medicines.

"Loren, matanda na ako at ang mga anak ko may kani-kaniya na ring pamilya," the woman told her. "Iyong murang gamot na pinapangako sa atin, hindi naman talaga mura."

"Nay, kapag ako po ang naging bise presidente ng bansang ito, hindi po murang gamot ang ibibigay ko sa inyo, libreng gamot po ang ibibigay natin sa ating senior citizens," Legarda replied.

Legarda also promised to see to it that barangays would be able to provide maternal and child care services.

"Nandiyan din ang maternal at child mortality," she said. "Ayoko pong may magulang na namamatay dahil tinatanggihan ng mga ospital kasi walang pangdeposito. Ayoko pong may mga bata na namamatay dahil sa isang bakunang puwede namang ibigay ng libre ng pamahalaan."

To wrap up her talk, Legarda stressed the urgency of finding solution to the problems brought about by El Niño.

"Para doon sa mga elitistang pulitiko sa Araneta, Cubao o sa Makati, ang issue ng El Niño ay issue lang ng inconvenience, at maso-solve ng kanilang airconditioners sa magagara nilang condominium at hacienda," she said, alluding to election rivals Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas.

She noted that the crop destruction due to drought had already affeced 40 towns in Iloilo.

"Ladies and gentlemen, ang lahat ng issues na ito, araw-araw hinaharap ng ating barangay officials. Sila po ang sumasalo sa lahat ng problemang nito. Ang madalas lang siguro nating nakakalimutan, ang ating barangay officials ay mga mamamayan din: May sari-sariling pamilyang iniintindi, mga pamilyang ginagastusan, mga anak na pinapaaral, may mga sakahang apektado ng El Nino at pagkasira ng kalikasan. Doble po ang pasan nila."

She praised barangay officials for their work, saying: "You're my personal heroes, mga angels sa buhay ng bawat mamamayan. But even angels need help sabi nga nila. As the people in the forefront of public service, barangay leaders deserve all the help they can get, from the local government units - your mayors, your governors and your congressmen - and the national government. "

She promised that she and Villar would give barangays the support they need.

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