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“Nanawagan po ako, kasama ang Department of Education (DepEd), sa ating mga mambabatas na ipasa na ang Senate Bill 2953 (Governance of the System of Pre-School Education) kung saan kinakailangan ipatupad ang pagpasok ng mga kabataan sa pre-school sa lahat ng pampublikong paaralan bago tumuntong ng elementarya,” sabi ni Liberal Party Senatorial candidate Neric Acosta.  He strongly vows to push for the immediate passage of the bill that would provide quality education for the preschool-aged children because this would help develop a child’s attitude towards school in the child’s later years.

Investing in our children

“I am an educator, and I strongly believe that education is the great equalizer. Quality education should be made available to everyone, most especially to young school children, who absorb knowledge like a sponge,” explains Acosta.  This is my main campaign advocacy “tamang edukasyon para sa kabataan.”  That it is important to provide these kids with the right education and teach these kids the basics while they are still in their formative years because those years will play a big role on their personal development.

The government ought to know its priorities. For years now, the education budget is only between 2% to 2.5% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), lower than the 4% to 5% recommended by UNESCO. Acosta strongly calls for the government to wake up from its stupor and use wisely the available annual budget allocation. The education system in our country is in a sorry state, with foreign observers saying that when it comes to education, “the Philippines is a striking example of underperformance.”

Acosta laments that “there is just too much corruption, corruption, corruption in the DepEd.”  In fact, even if the DepEd has the biggest budget allocation for the past several years, there is still a severe shortage of classrooms, extreme lack of textbooks and a serious dearth of teachers needed all over the country.  “Kung walang corrupt, lahat ng kabataan ay makapag-aral!”  Acosta believes that if corruption in the DepEd will be eradicated, each Filipino school children will have a better and bright future.  

Compensation for teachers

“I hope this time the school teachers will be justly compensated once the bill is passed into law. After all, teaching is a noble job, molding our children’s future,” says Acosta.   He will carry on the fight of the teachers once elected to the Senate to provide better terms of employment – higher salaries, improve sick leave and vacation leave benefits, and upgrade health and medical insurance benefits. 

“Tuloy ang laban!” Liberal Party Senatorial Candidate Teacher Neric Acosta clarified that he is definitely pursuing his bid for a seat in the Senate.  Neric Acosta is NOT the same Acosta that the Commission on Elections disqualified.  It was Vetellano Acosta of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL), running as President, whom COMELEC declared as a nuisance candidate. 

State of Confusion

“When I was in University of Luzon in Pangasinan, I was surprised to receive hundreds of calls from my supporters asking me why I was disqualified. Even my Facebook and Twitter accounts were filled with countless messages. I had to explain to them that I am still running and it was Vetellano Acosta of KBL that was considered unfit to run for office.  I reassured them that I strongly believe in our youth. Dapat silang makapasok, makapag-aral at makapagtapos. Ipaglalaban ko ‘yan hanggang sa Senado,” says Neric Acosta.

COMELEC a big disappointment

“Paano natin mapagkakatiwalaan ang COMELEC sa darating na eleksiyon kung ang isang simpleng bagay na pag disqualify sa isang tao na sa simula pa lang ay mapaglinlang.  Napakatagal nila bago inaksyunan ang isang napakasimpleng bagay katulad ng pag-disqualify ng isang taong sa simula pa lamang, was making a mockery out of the electoral process?” Teacher Neric Acosta continues that at the very least, the COMELEC should hold Vetellano Acosta liable for putting in false information in his certificate of candidacy.

Una sa Balota

“I had hoped that Vetellano Acosta’s name would be stricken out from the official ballots that have yet to be printed by the Comelec but that did not happen. Vetellano Acosta's name stays on the ballot. I am very concerned about this, because it could confuse our voters. The COMELEC even has the gall to say that they would consider the votes received by Vetellano Acosta as 'stray votes'. That's a total waste of votes! Those votes could have gone to a more deserving candidate.” says Teacher Neric Acosta.

He also adds that if Vetallano Acosta’s name was removed, then Liberal Party standard-bearer Noynoy Aquino’s name would have appeared first, putting Aquino at an advantage since it would be easier for voters to find his name on the list of presidential candidates. “Dapat po sana ang aming pangalan ni Noynoy ang mauuna sa balota.  Aquino sa pagka-Pangulo at Acosta naman po sa Senado.”

Sinister plot

In the current form of the Comelec official ballot, the names of all the presidential candidates appear in four columns and Manny Villar’s name is the only name in the fourth column.  “Looks like a sinister plot. Is it logical to still have Vetellano's name  on the ballots when he was already declared a nuisance candidate? Villar wants his name to be read and seen easily by the voters,” says Neric Acosta.  If Vetellano Acosta's name had been stricken out, Villar’s name would already appear last in the third column list of names of presidential candidates.

 “Nasaan ang pondo ng bayan na dapat ginagamit para malutas ang power crisis sa Mindanao? Meron pa bang naiwan o baka inubos na ng Arroyo administrasyon?” tanong ni Liberal Party Senatorial Candidate Teacher Neric Acosta. 

 Utilize government funds to solve power crisis

Acosta stresses the importance of using taxpayers’ money on plans and programs that should have equipped every region of the country with measures to counteract the ill effects of the El Nino phenomenon. “There is the annual budget under the 2010 General Appropriations Act that can be mobilized and utilized by this government but what is Arroyo doing? Or were these funds channeled again to money-making ventures that would fund her candidacy in Pampanga? Kung walang corrupt, walang power crisis!”

 “The rotating brownouts in Mindanao which now last up to eight hours is really alarming! The hydroelectric power plants now have a deficiency of 650 MW.  Government agencies concerned ought to have been prepared for this.” Presently, the El Nino phenomenon has dramatically affected the water levels in dams powering the hydroelectric plants to drop below the critical level. Acosta believes that contingency plans as well as mitigating measures must be implemented to reduce the occurrences of power outages that last up to eight hours in majority of the areas in Mindanao.

 Higher electricity rates in Mindanao

 “Solutions to this problem should have been prepared as early as December last year when signs of El Nino have become clear and evident,” says Acosta. Now, the Arroyo government plans to use several power barges to Mindanao that would raise the current cost of electricity from P3.50 per kilowatt hour to P7.00 per kilowatt hour.  Why will the people of Mindanao be punished and pay for the Arroyo government’s neglect and incompetence? Acosta lamented that the Mindanaoans should not be made to pay for the additional cost of electricity per kilowatt.