Following the removal of Migz Zubiri in the official senatorial slate of the Robredo-Pangilinan tandem, netizens and supporters are asking to fill in the now-vacant 12th spot with Monsour Del Rosario. On Twitter and other social media channels, Leni-Kiko supporters are calling for Monsour Del Rosario to be included in the official Tropang Angat senatorial slate.
Del Rosario, who entered the senatorial race under the banner of Partido Reporma, recently gained attention from Leni-Kiko supporters for openly supporting Robredo after presidential candidate Ping Lacson resigned as chairman of Reporma. Since then, Del Rosario has been adopted by the 1Sambayan group, which now has a total of 11 candidates, 8 of whom also belong to the official Tropang Angat slate.
A former athlete who competed in the 1989 Seoul Olympics for the game of taekwondo and a famous action star in the ‘90s, Monsour Del Rosario has served the Filipino people for 9 years as a Makati councilor for two terms. He was also a congressman from 2016 to 2019, where he made 292 bills and resolutions, including the Telecommuting Act of 2018 or Work From Home Law, which aided many Filipino workers at the height of the pandemic.
If he wins, Del Rosario plans to promote the Healthcare Heroes Card for medical frontliners, the Athlete’s Pension for athletes who have brought honor to the country, a proper education and development system for children with different learning abilities, and help farmers, fishermen, and others in the agriculture sector to facilitate the delivery of benefits and other government processes for them.
“I thank the netizens and supporters of VP Robredo and Sen. Pangilinan for their vote of confidence in me but only the Leni-Kiko team can make the decision if they want to include me in their official slate or not. In the end, it’s voters who will decide who they want to become their next senators. That is why our 1Sambayan slate is also here to offer alternatives. If people choose to vote for me, then I will be extremely grateful and I will make sure to repay their votes with 101% genuine service, just as I did when I was in Congress,” Del Rosario said.
The 1Sambayan senatorial slate is composed of 11 members: Teddy Baguilat, Neri Colmenares, Leila De Lima, Chel Diokno, Dick Gordon, Risa Hontiveros, Elmer Labog, Alex Lacson, Sonny Matula, Sonny Trillanes, and Monsour Del Rosario. Meanwhile, the Tropang Angat official senatorial slate of the Leni-Kiko tandem is composed of Baguilat, De Lima, Diokno, Gordon, Hontiveros, Lacson, Matula, and Trillanes plus guest candidates Jejomar Binay, Chiz Escudero, Joel Villanueva, and Migz Zubiri – the latter recently removed from the slate leaving the list down to also 11 candidates.
Since April 8, Del Rosario has been attending campaign rallies of the Leni-Kiko tandem and noticeably draws crowds, including their biggest by far in Pasay City last April 23. There, Del Rosario impressed many Leni-Kiko supporters as he also joined the people in the Makatindig Assembly Walk organized by volunteers of the Robredo People’s Council.
“It is heartwarming to see people uniting for a purpose to make our country better. I don’t think it’s just a coincidence that I am now with 1Sambayan. I feel that I was destined to be here because my purpose in running for senator is very much aligned with the purpose of the people who support 1Sambayan and the Leni-Kiko tandem. We all have the same desire to uplift the lives of every Filipino through a trustworthy government that is committed to true public service,” Del Rosario adds.