Former senator Joseph Victor ‘JV’ Ejercito, who is seeking a comeback in the Senate, met with local motorbike riders in Angeles City in a lunch meeting Friday at Aling Lucing’s old PNR crossing station, Bgy. Agapito Del Rosario.
Ejercito, the son of former president Joseph Estrada and former San Juan mayor Guia Gomez, filed his certificate of candidacy (CoC) on a platform of integrity, character and performance under the Nationalist Peoples Coalition Party. He was adopted as guest senatorial candidate of four presidential candidates: Ping Lacson, Manny Pacquiao, Bongbong Marcos and Isko Moreno.
In a press briefing, Ejercito enumerated his top priorities:
(1) He vowed to pursue the proper implementation of the Universal Health Care Law, which he authored to address the problems besetting the country on the shortage of bed capacity of hospitals and their facilities, the problem of health care workers, coverage and billing issues to strengthen the country’s healthcare system amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
(2) He underscored the need to put up a modern public transportation like an efficient railway system linking the islands of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
(3) Being the author of the creation of the Department of Human Settlements and Housing, he will ensure the proper implementation of its provisions especially socialized housing programs for the poor.
(4) Ejercito, who also authored the Sangguniang Kabataan Law, will push for more youth and development programs like leadership and GMRC trainings. He is not in favor for SK’s abolition because according to him this is the best training ground for future leaders.
With regards to changing the form of government from presidential to federal, Ejercito told reporters it’s not a priority in this time of crisis.
During his first term from 2013-2019 in the Senate, he was instrumental in the construction of the new Clark International Airport Terminal amounting to P12B and the ongoing Northrail projects from Bulacan to Pampanga.