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TUCP set to endorse 12 'pro-labor' senatorial bets

MANILA -- The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) announced that it is currently surveying all its affiliate organizations in the manufacturing, services and agriculture sectors in order to come up with 12 "pro-labor" senatorial candidates who will then be endorsed for the midterm elections this year.

TUCP spokesman Alan Tanjusay told the PNA on Tuesday that candidates who will gain the labor group's endorsement can come from any political party or may even be an independent, "so long as they are genuinely sympathetic to the plight of the Filipino worker."

He explained that they are looking to support bets that have proven their competence and integrity. "We want someone who is not only pro-labor but someone who has shown that they have the intelligence and determination to get their bills enacted into law," he said.

Tanjusay said they will announce the 12 names a week before the polls on May 13.

Meantime, TUCP, touted as the country's biggest labor union, commended newspapers, television, radio and social media entities for holding various media public debates over radio and television helping workers scrutinize senatorial bets.

TUCP president Raymond Mendoza said the media coverage the candidates have been getting is making their selection process easier. He said the labor sector in general is in a better position to make informed choices.

“And we commend the tri-media because through these debates shown, heard and read, it helps working people know the candidates better. Compared to the past, malaking tulong ito sa aming survey kung sino ang karapat-dapat (this is a big help in determining who are most worthy),” he said.

“Workers need to know more beyond what the candidates say and project themselves to be through the self-serving posters and television ads. Through these media debates, we will be able to know kung sino ang genuine o peke (who is genuine and who is fake) among the candidates. These debates on TV and on social media really help us a lot in our survey being conducted,” Mendoza added. (PNA)

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