Otso Diretso goes house-to-house in Caloocan

Senatorial candidates of the opposition Otso Diretso or Straight Eight will adopt the grassroots campaign strategy of Vice President Leni Robredo to gain voters’ support.

Otso Diretso candidates Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano, human rights lawyer Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno, former solicitor general Florin Hilbay, veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, former Quezon representative Erin Tañada and Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc-Tomawis started their campaign yesterday by knocking on the doors of residents in Caloocan City. Former senator Mar Roxas did the same in Capiz, his home province.

Admitting that most of the candidates are relatively unknown, Sen. Francis Pangilinan,

campaign manager of Otso Diretso, said their candidates, along with 2,000 volunteers nationwide, would conduct the house-to-house campaign to introduce them to the voting public.

“This is a 90-day campaign period, if the elections will be held tomorrow, most likely only two of them will win,” the senator said at a press conference at the Café Poblacion in Caloocan, referring to Roxas and Aquino, who have consistently joined the winners’ circle or the Top 12 of pre-election surveys.

The complete Otso Diretso slate will have another proclamation rally today in Naga city, hometown of Robredo.

Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice, Roxas’ campaign manager, said the former interior and local government secretary traditionally starts his campaign in Capiz. Roxas served as representative of the first district of Capiz in the early 1990s.

Roxas’ absence from the slate on the campaign’s first day does not detract from the coalition’s unity, according to other Otso Diretso bets.

“We should not make an issue out of it. We come from different backgrounds and we just ‘volt in.’ But we have a united message,” Alejano said.

Pangilinan said Otso Diretso’s schedule was primarily based on that of the Vice President. “We will have several activities for (Roxas) to join,” he said. Diokno said the opposition slate’s visit in Caloocan – known as a hotbed of killings in the government’s war on drugs – was symbolic to send a message that law enforcement through the barrel of the gun should stop.

“The killings continue. It has not stopped. Silence is no longer an option with so many things happening. If nothing is done now, we will find ourselves in a dark place,” said Diokno, son of the late senator and martial law victim Jose “Pepe” Diokno.

Diokno added that the lawyers’ organization Free Legal Assistance Group is filing a petition before the Supreme Court assailing the constitutionality of the war on illegal drugs.

Tañada added that the midterm elections would serve as a referendum of the Duterte administration and its policies.

8-point program

The opposition bets launched their eight-point program, which includes the institutionalization of the government’s conditional cash transfer Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program; sure employment for college graduates; higher minimum wage; peaceful community; better services for senior citizens and persons with disabilities; fair justice system; protection of Philippine territories, among others.

Now branding himself as “Mar, aming ekonomista (Mar, our economist),” Roxas said he would like to help the government improve the country’s economy by creating more jobs for Filipinos.

Alejano said he would continue to fight for the country’s sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea and push for more benefits for uniformed personnel.

Macalintal said he would work on bills that will promote the interests of senior citizens in the country, including an increase in the 20-percent discount provided to the elderly.

Diokno said the Otso Diretso candidates are banking on their clean track record, upright principles and competency.