As the local elections drew near, Caloocan mayoral candidate and former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, together with his running mate, former councilor and vice mayoral candidate PJ Malonzo, unveiled an ambitious reform agenda for Caloocan City, pledging to eradicate corruption and significantly improve social services.
In the BakitIkaw: The DZRH Job Interview, the tandem pointed out the city’s long-standing issues — corruption, poverty, crime, traffic congestion, and flooding, which they argued have left Caloocan lagging behind its neighboring cities along Metro Manila.
“Alam po ng mga taga-Caloocan a lugmok na ang aming lungsod, talagang iba’t ibang problema ang kinakaharap araw-araw,” Trillanes stressed.
Eliminating corruption to open services
According to the former senator, corruption is the root cause of Caloocan’s multiple woes, siphoning off around ₱2 billion annually from city funds.
“Base po sa ating pag-aaral, ang pangunahing problema ng Caloocan right now ay ang korapsyon dahil mahigit-kumulang na 2 billion pesos ang nawawala sa pondo ng Caloocan every year,” he stated.
“Dahil diyan nagsanga-sanga ang iba’t ibang problema, nagkaroon ng problema sa basura, nagkaproblema sa baha, magkakakonekta ‘yan,” Trillanes added.
He said that eliminating corruption would allow public funds to be redirected toward social services in Caloocan, which could help address various problems in the city.
The tandem envisioned cleaning up City Hall to free up billions of pesos annually for waste management, infrastructure, social programs, and poverty alleviation.
Transparency and accountability in governance
Malonzo stressed his track record of championing transparency, recalling his time as the city’s councilor.
“Simula po nang naging konsehal tayo, ipinaglalaban na po natin ang transparency. Nag-file po tayo ng FOI noong tayo ay konsehal pero hindi po ito napakinggan noong nakaraang administrasyon,” he said.
Proposed flooding and traffic solutions
When asked about Caloocan’s long-standing issues with flooding and traffic, Trillanes proposed targeted solutions for each district, including the implementation of a floodwater detention system.
“Kagaya nung mga ginagawa dito sa BGC, mayroon silang mga flood water detention system na kung saan maghuhukay sa ilalim tapos doon muna dadaloy flood water, kapag nawala na dahan-dahan pinapump out ‘yan,” Trillanes explained.
“Yung iba naman, basic lang ‘yung reason. Nabarahan dahil ‘yung mga drainage system dahil sobra ang basura. So kayang maayos ‘yun,” he added.
Expanding social services for all sectors
Trillanes criticized previous administrations, noting that Caloocan has fallen behind other Metro Manila cities in providing social programs.
"Caloocan ang may pinaka-kaunti na social program,” he said.
“Magkakaroon tayo ng benepisyo sa mga senior citizens, sa mga estudyante, magpoprovide tayo ng trabaho sa mga manggagawa," added Trillanes.
From senior benefits and student assistance to employment support, the goal is to uplift all sectors of society that have long been underserved.
Malonzo also envisions a skilled and competitive Caloocan workforce — ready for local and overseas opportunities.
"Isa sa mga programa ko noon ay mga trainings to employment programs… marami tayong nakapartner na malalaking kompanya at nakapagpasok tayo ng mga estudyante bilang empleyado," he said.
Both Trillanes and Malonzo emphasize heavy investment in education and livelihood training.
Comprehensive drug problem strategy
Trillanes committed to building an emergency management command center and installing a modern CCTV network citywide.
“Magtatayo tayo ng emergency management command center… mag-iinstall tayo ng mga high-resolution CCTV cameras all over the city. Ito ‘yung may facial recognition software na,” he affirmed.
On the drug problem in the Philippines, he emphasized a dual approach to address both problems.
“Itong supply side, kailangan habulin ‘yung mga nagsu-supply… At the same time, doon naman sa nalululong ang kailangan talaga, ang rehabilitation system ay ma-institutionalize,” he stated.
“Pagkatapos ng rehabilitation program, mayroong employment para ma-engganyo silang to voluntarily enter,” the mayoral candidate added.
Meanwhile, Malonzo emphasized the importance of addressing the underlying factors that lead to drug use, particularly among the youth.
“Kailangan natin alamin ang root cause kung bakit nila ginagawa ‘yun. Baka mamaya mayroon din silang problema sa kanilang pamilya. Yun ang hindi natin madalas makita,” the vice mayoral stated.
Tackling national security
Trillanes did not shy away from national security concerns, criticizing the former president Rodrigo Duterte administration’s handling of Chinese nationals linked to illegal activities.
“Pumasok sila dahil kasagsagan ng POGO. Mahigit isang milyon ang pumasok na from mainland China during the Duterte administration. Ngayon pa lang natin dahan-dahan i-deport ‘yung mga tiwali,” Trillanes believed.
#BakitIkaw: Antonio Trillanes and PJ Malonzo for Caloocan?
With less than two weeks to go before election day, both Trillanes and Malonzo made their final appeals to Manila’s voters.
Malonzo reaffirmed his commitment to promoting transparency and accountability in local governance, emphasizing that honest leadership is what the people of Caloocan deserve.
“Kung kinakailangan po ng mga taga Caloocan na mas maging transparent ang ating pamahalaan nandito po ang Robin ni Batman, PJ Malonzo,” he said.
Meanwhile, Trillanes is positioning itself as the catalyst for much-needed change among people in Caloocan, promising to address the city’s long-standing issues and uplift its residents.
“Dahil naghahangad ang Team Trillanes, nag-aalok ng pagbabago para sa lungsod ng Caloocan,” Trillanes concluded.
With an ambitious blueprint and platforms, Trillanes and Malonzo aim to convince Caloocan voters that it’s time for a new era of governance built on transparency, reform, and opportunity.
