Reelectionist senators begin campaign for 2019 polls

Senator Grace Poe, who is running as an independent candidate, started off her campaign with a feeding program for grade school students in Payatas, Quezon City. (File Photo: Grace Poe/Facebook)

MANILA — Some reelectionist senators officially kicked off their electoral campaigns on Tuesday at the onset of the 90-day campaign period for the May 2019 polls.

Senator Grace Poe, who is running as an independent candidate, started off her campaign with a feeding program for grade school students in Payatas, Quezon City.

Poe said her legislative advocacy is to provide free nutritious meals to public school students, which is now a law — Republic Act 11037 or the Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act.

“Sila talaga ang simbolo ng pag-asa kaya gusto ko dito mag-umpisa kasi masaya. Sila ay nagpapaalala sa akin kung bakit ako tumakbo sa unang pagkakataon (Children are the symbol of hope that’s why I wanted to start here because it’s fun. They remind me of the reason why I ran [as senator] for the first time),” Poe told reporters in an interview.

Senators Sonny Angara, Cynthia Villar, and Joseph Victor Ejercito joined the campaign kickoff in Pampanga organized by Mayor Sara Duterte’s regional party, Hugpong ng Pagbabago.

Angara vowed to continue his family legacy anchored on education, health, job generation, social pension for senior citizens and stronger local government units and barangays.

Ejercito said he would focus on spurring more investments in health and infrastructure, which would lead to more jobs and greater income.

Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, meanwhile, began his campaign with the opposition senatorial slate Otso Diretso in Caloocan City.