MULTI-SECTORAL group Angat Pinoy is keen on helping alleviate the lives of Filipinos under the new normal and work closely with the new administration that will be elected in the upcoming national elections in May.

Chairman emeritus of Angat Pinoy, Anthony del Rosario, in an interview with Radyo Pilipinas said: “We are glad that our party list, Angat Pinoy, has been approved to run in the coming election. The name that we carry, Angat, is very timely especially because over the last two years of pandemic, maraming Pilipino ang nahirapan na gusto naming i-angat muli ang mga buhay.”

The former Davao del Norte governor and spokesman of Hugpong ng Pagbabago said their partylist hopes to work with presidential candidate former senator Bongbong Marcos and running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, both frontrunners in various surveys, in case both wins.

“We hope to work with them para umangat talaga ang mga buhay ng mga Pinoy sa susunod na administrasyon,” Del Rosario added.

Angat Pinoy party-list will focus on six sectors: micro small-and-medium businesses, women groups, senior citizens, PWDs, youth, and OFWs.

Del Rosario said if given a seat in the Lower House, Angat Pinoy will file several legislations that will help these sectors alleviate their lives.

He added that they will file laws particularly to help the micro small businesses to address the current lack of capacity building for SMEs.

“Marami sa mga maliliit na negosyante ang nahihirapang tumaas ang grado papunta sa pagiging medium enterprises dahil sa kakulangan ng pondo; ang binibigay ng gobyernong tulong sa kanila ay puro loan, pero wala silang collateral na magagamit para makapagloan sa mga bangko,” Del Rosario said.

“We need to be creative in order to provide them funding at matulungan sila kasi yung kinikita nila sa isang araw, yun din ang ginagamit nila pambili ng imbentaryo para sa susunod na araw,” he added.

There is also a need to help arrest the low enrolment rate in our schools, according to Del Rosario.

“For the simple reason of lack of financial resources, marami pa rin sa mga kabataan ngayon ang hindi pumapasok kahit na libre na edukasyon sa bansa,” he added.

Angat Pinoy believes that it is not only school tuitions as the main reason why there are many youths not studying today, they also worry that even if they go to schools, they lack the means to buy books and for those in colleges, fees for dormitories and other essentials.

For PWDs, Del Rosario said there is a need to expand their benefits from what they are currently receiving. They should not also be discriminated and given easy access to most buildings and establishments.

“Marami pa ring mga building na hindi accessible, walang rampa at elevator kaya may makikita tayong mga PWD na kinakarga paakyat sa matataas na floor. Due to absence of easy access, most PWDs lost interest in looking for a job,” He added.

PWDs should also be given a chance to work despite their disabilities. There are PWDs who are very good in producing products even though they are blind.

“Again, the problem is wala silang puhunan, so talaga dapat mabigyan ng pansin iyan, Del Rosario said.

While PWDs and senior citizens are given a chance to work in fastfood establisments in other countries such as the US, such opportunity is not available in the country.

“We can file a bill encouraging businesses to accept PWDs and senior citizens even on a part-time basis so the can earn a living,” Del Rosario said.