Davao Today: On the common issues, what is your stand on:
– land reform
Ocampo: It has been a decade old problem. We have to resolve it. The Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill (GARB) should be passed.
– foreign debt
Ocampo: The policy should be changed. We should not automatically pay debt. For the past 30 years since 1977, we have been paying 2.5 trillion pesos but our debt continues to reach up to 5 trillion. That will not stop from rising because we continue to borrow. Our proposal is to repeal the Automatic Appropriations Act.
– charter change
Ocampo: The proposal now to change the form of government will not answer the problem of bad governance. The people elected and their policies should be the ones replaced. We should not allow that the laws protecting our national sovereignty and national patrimony, of which they want to sell to foreigners, will be changed.
– extrajudicial killings
Ocampo: Tthis should be stopped because there has already been an international condemnation. If the Arroyo government will be gone, we think these extrajudicials killings will also stop.
–oil price hike
Ocampo: The oil deregulation law should be repealed. The oil price should be regulated again. Because of deregulation, the oil companies are very free in monopolizing the oil prices.
Davao Today: What do you think are your chances in winning the elections?
Ocampo: I think we have a big chance given the wide networks of our support organizations, people’s organizations, sectoral organizations and our established alliances in Makabayan with progressive local government officials and politicians. If we combine all that, less the fraud and use of terror to prevent people from voting us, we are confident we will win our senate bid.
Davao Today: How do you deal with the common practice of doling out money at the very last minute of the campaign to woo the voters, would you do the same?
Ocampo: Whenever there are those who will ask money from us, we tell them that that is prohibited under the election laws and we are also not rich candidates.
Davao Today: Describe your typical workday.
Ocampo: Of course our routines were changed because the campaign is extensive and intensive. We are forced to wake up early in the morning and sleep late. We are always ‘on the go’ according to our schedules. We are at least thankful that there are facilities of the Nacionalista Party that we can use like helicopters which helps cut the travel time , hence, we can still maximize our time shaking hands with the people and explaining to them our platforms.
Davao Today: At this stage in your life, don’t you feel tired roaming round campaigning?
Ocampo: Maybe you will notice now whether I am sleepy or tired. But my fellow candidates they notice that aside from our schedules, Congresswoman Liza Maza and I still have other side activities in the sorties we do in different places. These activities sometimes last late at night and then we still have to wake up at four or five in the morning. I can still do it. Maybe my energy level is different. I notice I’m still strong. It could be because of some genes I inherited from my mother who is already 99 years old. She will be turning 100 years on November 22. My mother is a farmer. When I was still young, I worked in the farm that is why I also walk fast and I don’t get tired early. Even though we have lots of activities at nights, I still do some stretching and exercise before I go to sleep.
Davao Today: What is your motto in life?
Ocampo: I think my motto is to always study and learn our past, know our present and think and do whatever change needed. .
Davao Today: What will you do on your first day in the Senate?
Ocampo: The first day is organizational. We will present ourselves the best we can. If there is an opportunity, we will deliver a speech that will explain why we entered in the Senate.
Davao Today: What is your message to the Filipino?
Ocampo: We have won representatives in the House of Representatives for the past nine years. It is also high time that we widen the participation of the basic masses in the parliamentary through electing two senators, Liza Maza and myself Satur Ocampo. Let us continue our fight for a nationalist economy. Let us continue to stand for the rights of the Filipino people. Let us make the candidates under Makabayan coalition win.( Grace S. Uddin/davaotoday.com/ davaotoday.com)
