On the sixth day of the filing of COCs in San Juan City, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III files his Certificate of Candidacy (COC), running for Marikina’s first district. (Photo from FAITH ARGOSINO / INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III has formally filed his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) as the representative of Marikina’s first district on the sixth day of the filing of COCs in San Juan City.
Asked about his plans, Pimentel said he aims to address the city’s flood problems and revive the shoe industry.
“Number one, industriya ng sapatos. Ako as a senator involved kasi ang Senate sa mga free trade agreement. Nakikita ko don na yung sapatos. Dapat pwede tayong mag-benefit sa free trade agreement na pinasok in treaty form. So, sisiguraduhin ko yon na yung industriya ng sapatos sa Marikina ay mabuhay muli,” the senator said.
(First, the show industry. As a senator, I was involved in the free trade agreements. I saw there the importance of those shoes. We should be able to benefit from the free trade agreement that we entered into in treaty forms. So I will make sure to revive the shoe industry in Marikina.)
“And, of course, yung problema ng baha. Two times ako nabaha sa Marikina. Sila Kat, two times din,” he recalled.
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(And of course, the problem of flooding in the city. I experienced flooding twice. Kat also got flooded twice.)
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Pimentel likewise mentioned Marikina’s debt, which he claimed is one of the highest among other cities.
“Ang laki ng utang ng lungsod. In fact, pag i-per capita mo ang utang ng city, divide by the population, I think one of the highest is Marikina. So, kailangang tutukan na ang fiscal management sa city of Marikina,” he said.
(The debt of the city is huge. In fact, if you will make the debt per capita, divide by the population, I think one of the highest is Marikina. So, we need to focus on fiscal management in the city of Marikina.)
Pimentel is set to fight incumbent Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro in the 2025 polls, after the latter filed his COC for the same position on October 5.
Miscommunication?
When asked about his relationship with the Teodoro, the senator revealed that it was Teodoro who encouraged him to run as the city’s first district representative.
“I will present myself to the people of Marikina as an alternative, kasi kami naman ay niyaya ni Mayor Marcy na tumakbo sa District One. As a matter of fact, as a show of good faith ay lumipat siya sa District Two para dun sya tatakbo. [Pero] kahapon po ata, nag file siya for District One,” Pimentel disclosed.
(I will present myself to the people of Marikina as an alternative because we were invited by Mayor Marcy to run in District One. As a matter of fact, as a show of good faith, he moved to District Two to run there. [But ] yesterday, he filed for District One.)
Pimentel said he was surprised by Teodoro’s action, saying they did not discuss this move.
“Do not make promises na hindi mo kayang tuparin. A man without word of honor is nothing. Kaya yung antas ng pamumuhay sa Marikina, iangat natin. Kaya pumirma ako dun sa pledge. Oh sabi don, huwag magsinungaling; huwag mag tsismis; huwag manira,” he concluded.
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(Do not make promises you cannot keep. A man without word of honor is nothing. That’s why the standard of living in Marikina, let’s raise it. That’s why I signed the pledge. It stated there – no lying, no gossiping; no maligning of others.)
