Veering away from the usual, Sen. Grace Poe spent the first day of the campaign highlighting her legislative advocacy guaranteeing free nutritious meals to public school students.
Poe, an independent senatorial candidate, said she chose to conduct a feeding program for grade school students in Payatas, Quezon City on Tuesday, Feb. 12 because they serve as a constant reminder of why she is seeking re-election.
“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,” Poe told reporters in a chance interview.
When she was campaigning in 2013, she vowed to push for a nationwide school feeding program for students. Her advocacy is now a law, Republic Act 11037 or the Masustansyang Pagkain Para Sa Batang Pilipino Act.
“Sa umpisa pa lang [bago ako maihalal] sa Senado ay ‘yung mga mahihirap at nangangailangan ay dapat na unahin,” said Poe, a consistent pre-election survey frontrunner.
Around 800 students from Payatas B Elementary School were fed balanced meals.
“Yung batas na isinulong natin ay pasado na so magkakaroon ng malaking pondo para sa mga bata… Hindi lamang batas ang dapat itinutulak, dapat sa implementasyon din para mabigyang buhay ang mga programa,” Poe stressed. (30)
