Rizal 4th District Rep. Fidel Nograles on Tuesday led a “unity walk” in the Municipality of Montalban to urge the town’s leaders to put on a united front for its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and amid an ongoing economic crisis.
Nograles and Montalban Mayor Ronnie Evangelista also signed the “Bangon Bagong Montalban” economic partnership agreement, which commits to close cooperation between the two town leaders on livelihood, economic, health, and transportation programs for Montalbeños.
The BBM agreement signals that there is a way to move forward despite the fact that both signatories belong to different political parties, Nograles, a member of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), said. Evangelista ran under the Partido Demokratiko-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
“Gagawa kami ng inter-agency task force kung saan ang mga miyembro ng iba’t ibang sangay ng gobyerno sa national government, LGU, mga ibang opisyales, ay makikipag-ugnayan, maguusap, magtutulungan upang gumawa ng isang development plan na magiging balangkas, magiging gabay natin para sa muling pagbangon ng bayan,” he said.
“Sa dami ng hinaharap nating problema, wala tayong mapapala kung magbabangayan lamang. Ang Bangon Bagong Montalban ay pangako natin sa mga Montalbeño na hindi tayo magsasayang ng oras sa giitan sa pulitika, kundi magtutulungan at magkakapit-bisig para sa mga programa para sa kapakanan nila,” the solon added.
Nograles said political bickering would be counter-productive amid a continued rise in the cost of goods and massive job loss due to the pandemic and effects of the Ukraine-Russia war.
The BBM agreement signals that there is a way to move forward despite the fact that both signatories belong to different political parties, Nograles, a member of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), said. Evangelista ran under the Partido Demokratiko-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
“When a person is elected, his loyalty must shift to the electorate that has given him/her a mandate to serve. Taumbayan ang boss at ang tanging konsiderasyon sa aksyon,” the youthful legislator said.
The Harvard-trained lawyer, however, emphasized that they would still welcome opposing views, which he stressed are part of democracy.
“Mahalaga pa rin ang kritisismo upang malaman natin ang mga pagkukulang sa mga ipinapatupad nating programa, para rin masigurong ‘inclusive’ ang mga ginagawa natin. We vow that no voice will be silenced,” he said.
