Senatorial candidate and Antique representative Loren Legarda said that stricter implementations on laws involving the environment and businesses involving small and medium enterprises can help the country recover from the pandemic.

During an interview on Politikscoop, Legarda was asked about three concerns candidates should address; environment, economy, and health. She cited some of the laws and bills she authored that were to address these concerns.

“Sa pandemic recovery kailangan po, una, alagaan ang kalikasan at kapaligiran. In my three terms I was able to author, co-author, and sponsor 10 environmental laws,” Legarda said.  “Mula sa karagatan, sa tubig, sa ating air quality, sa ating solid waste, ang mahalaga dito ‘yong istriktong implementasyon at ‘yung oversight function ng Congress, at ‘yung pagpopondo ng mga batas na ito. Ito po’y papa-igtingin ko.”

“Pangalawa po, sa ekonomiya. Gaya po ng binanggit ko, sa micro enterprises and small business, na siyang 99% ng ekonomiya. The backbone of the Philippine economy is small business, kaya nga po ‘yung DTI Shared Service facilities, ‘yung DOLE Pangkabuhayan, ‘yung sustainable livelihood program para sa 4P families – ito po’y maliliit na programa ng gobyerno na dapat ipagsama-sama sa isang Pangkabuhayan Law, para po taon-taon ito’y mapondohan for our pandemic recovery. And that’s what I’m doing and will continue to do.”

She also cited the importance of the “One Tablet, One Student Act” which will  help many students for their online classes once enacted into law, and the institutionalization of social services for employment, like DOLE Tupad Cash for Work.

Legarda also emphasized the importance of entrepreneurship playing a key role in the country’s economic recovery.

“Why is this important? Hindi naman po lahat kailangan maging empleyado. The others, may desire maging self-employed – magkaroon ng maliit na negosyo. Gaya doon sa amin sa Antique, hanggang kagabi kausap ko si Mario Manzano ng Bagtason Loomweavers. ‘Yung mga lumang patadyong, ina-up-cycle nila. Yung kanilang mga bariw na weeds sa bundok ng Pandan, Antique ginagawang mga bags.So, may talento ang tao para kumita at gawin ang kanilang skills at natural resources na sustainable para magkaroon ng income. ‘Yun ang purpose ng aking Barangay Employment and Entrepreneurship Service Office Bill, para po pa-igtingin natin ang grassroots economy,” she said.

Legarda, who is making a comeback attempt in the Senate, said that it’s important to go down ‘to the grassroots,’ which led her to relaunch the LOREN sa Bawat Barangay that she started in 1998.

“Sa pagbalik ko sa Senado, on my fourth term, I will focus on LOREN sa Bawat Barangay dahil ang ating pag-ahon mula sa pandemya ay dapat galing sa barangay level: barangay health workers, barangay nutrition scholars, hanggang sa paghihiwalay ng basura, hanggang sa growing your own food, hanggang sa pag-protekta ng ating mga ilog at karagatan,” Legarda said.  “Everything should be local, everything sa barangay level. Maski anong ganda ng batas na ginagawa namin sa national, kung hindi po ito naiintindihan ng lokal; kung hindi po ini-implement ito hanggang sa barangay level, ay sayang lang po ang ating magagandang isinulat na batas.”

“LOREN sa Bawat Barangay is not my name only. That is Livelihood, Opportunity to Raise Employment and Entrepreneurship Nationwide. Ito po’y nilulunsad nating muli para ipakita po ang kahalagahan ng local, not politics, but local sustainable governance.”

Currently, Legarda places third in the latest Senatorial preference surveys.