MANILA, Philippines — Most cancers-stricken doctor-vlogger Willie Ong formally launched a second bid for a Senate seat on Thursday along with his counsel saying he would run a “faith-based” marketing campaign.
Ong’s certificates of candidacy (COC) was filed within the Fee on Elections (Comelec) by his spouse, Dr. Anna Liza Ramoso-Ong, who tearfully thanked his supporters for his or her prayers whereas he’s present process therapy for sarcoma, a uncommon sort of most cancers, in Singapore. She was accompanied by Agri occasion record Rep. Wilbert Lee, who, like Ong, can be operating underneath the Aksyon Demokratiko occasion.
The Ong household’s counsel, Gilbert Lauengco, mentioned the physician who ran for vice chairman in 2022 and for the Senate in 2019 was “doing tremendous” and can be again within the Philippines by the tip of November.
READ: Doc Willie Ong bares 2025 Senate run regardless of most cancers prognosis
He added that earlier than his prognosis, Ong had no intention of once more going into politics however when he obtained sick, he “meditated,” modified his thoughts and determined to make his marketing campaign “faith-based.”
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“Religion that individuals will perceive, religion that God will give sufficient time [for him] to complete this, and religion that sufficient individuals will like and help him to propel him to the senate,” Lauengco mentioned.
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Ong, an internist and heart specialist, is a well-liked vlogger on Fb, the place he has 17 million followers, in addition to on YouTube, the place he has 9.83 million subscribers.
The lawyer added that Ong’s illness, which is treatable, won’t deter him from campaigning, extra so if he wins and begins serving as senator.
Incumbents, actor
Duterte allies and incumbent senators Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go and Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, along with actor Phillip Salvador, additionally filed their COCs for the Senate underneath the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino.
Salvador mentioned that if elected, he would push for a government-initiated program to rehabilitate all drug addicts.
Dela Rosa, for his half, mentioned he would proceed his advocacies for peace and order and nationwide protection and safety, and push for a invoice imposing the demise penalty on high-level drug traffickers.
For Go, his precedence was to proceed authoring and sponsoring extra legal guidelines to advertise public well being, generate jobs and livelihood, enhance training, uplift the lives of the poor, amongst different issues.
In Manila, incumbent Mayor Honey Lacuna filed her COC for reelection together with her operating mate, incumbent Vice Mayor John Marvin ‘Yul Servo’ Nieto.
“I want him properly. Good luck to him if he continues his run for mayor,” Lacuna mentioned when requested about going face to face together with her predecessor, Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso who is predicted to file his COC subsequent week.
Earlier, she mentioned she felt betrayed by Domagoso’s plan to regain his outdated seat.
“To everybody who didn’t betray us, thanks very, very a lot. We are going to win. Mark my phrases—we are going to by no means waver, and we are going to by no means abandon you,” Lacuna mentioned.
Comelec Chair George Erwin Garcia, in the meantime, introduced that St. Timothy Building Corp. (STCC), has pulled out of the three way partnership led by South Korean agency Miru Programs Co. Ltd, which is the ballot physique’s automated polls service supplier, as a result of its house owners can be operating both for a nationwide or native publish.