DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 08 October) – Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) partylist Rep. Margarita Ignacia “Migs” Nograles filed her certificate of candidacy (COC) for the first congressional district of Davao City at 9:13 a.m. on Tuesday, October 8.
Running as an independent candidate, she is challenging reelectionist Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte.
Two other independent candidates, Rex Labis, a retired Bureau of Jail Management and Penology officer, and Janeth Jabines, a social worker, are vying for the post.
In an interview with the media, Nograles said she aims to help “all sectors, including women, men, LGBTQI+ community, youth, athletes, and PWDs (persons with disability).”
She also vowed to provide livelihood, scholarship and infrastructure projects to constituents.
“But now, syempre mas focused na ta sa atoang pwede mabuhat (of course we can focus more on what we can do). Like I said, continuity po, serbisyo sa mga tao. Keep the best practices, improve on those that we need to improve,” Nograles said when asked of her plans for the first district.
Before the start of the filing of COCs, both Nograles and her brother Karlo, who resigned on October 7 as chairperson of the Civil Service Commission, were seen in the two-day “MindaNOW: Serbisyo para sa Mindanao” caravan held at the University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP) here last September 5 and 6.
The caravan reportedly delivered P1.2 billion worth of assistance – P1 billion in cash and P200 million in in-kind for 250,000 beneficiaries.
In a speech during the event, she said the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. “is looking after the Dabawenyos, listening to us, and ready to provide help.”
When asked about her rivalry with Rep. Duterte, Nograles said “At the end of the day, pareho naman tayo ng (we have the same) goal. Yung goal natin, magserbisyo para naman po sa tibuok Davao City (Our goal is to serve the entire Davao City).”
Last January, Duterte lambasted House leaders, including Nograles, for the budget cut of P2 billion for his district this year.
He also accused Nograles of initiating the alleged people’s initiative (PI) in the city to change the 1987 Constitution, and called on the public not to sell their signatures in exchange for P100 or P10,000.
“I was informed that PBA Partylist Rep. Margarita ‘Migs’ Nograles is spearheading the PI movement in Davao City. I am against this people’s initiative as this is not the people’s voice but the voice of a few who wanted to perpetuate themselves in power,” Duterte posted on his Facebook page on January 10.
He also slammed Nograles for allegedly spreading lies that he is a “drug addict, drug user, and drug smuggler.” (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)
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