Former Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Commissioner Atty. Goyo Larrazabal, now the 1st nominee under Partido sa Bagong Pilipino, shared his vision for legislative change, emphasizing improving access to clean water and strengthening local governance.
During the Bakit Ikaw: The DZRH Job Interview for 2025 Midterm Elections, he highlighted that a significant portion of the population lacks access to potable water, which he believes is a fundamental necessity for public health and economic development.
"When I retired in 2011, umikot ako around the Philippines. May common problems kahit saan ka pumunta sa Pilipinas—tubig na maiinom, medisina na makuha nila," he stated.
Citing the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) data, he pointed out that approximately 53% of Filipino households lack access to clean water. "In fact, mas marami pang mga Pilipino ang may access sa YouTube kaysa may tubig sa bahay nila," he remarked.
To address this, Larrazabal said he had previously worked with NGOs to distribute water filtration systems.
However, he believes a sustainable, long-term solution is needed and plans to include promoting rainwater harvesting and penalizing major water polluters.
“What I emphasize is that we should utilize our water resources and we have to protect our water resources, ang mga bigtime polluters, we should penalize them," he emphasized.
"We should go after them. It has to be institutionalized, 'yung approach natin," Larrzabel added.
Empowering Barangay and LGU
Furthermore, Larrazabal envisions a governance model that strengthens barangays and local government units (LGUs), ensuring that services reach the grassroots level.
“We are talking about empowering barangays, we’re talking about empowering LGUs to help them do their job. To help to assist them. Kasi, empowering people, [and] empowering the officials will help them do their work better. Kais marami amang kaya namang gawin,” former COMELEC commissioner stated.
"We want to give the attention back to the barangay. Tulungan natin ang barangay natin, balik natin sa barangay ‘yung serbisyo sa tao," he stressed.
He highlighted the dire condition of barangay health centers, which often lack essential medicines, and proposed reforms to enhance local healthcare delivery.
Addressing Agricultural and Business Challenges
On the other hand, Larrazabal also aims to support farmers by improving supply chain logistics and infrastructure.
"Ang problema ngayon sa agriculture, mga farmers pag-harvest nila hindi nila mababa ang produkto nila. Ang middleman ang kumikita, hindi sila," he explained, attributing this to poor road conditions that increase transportation costs to the local farmers.
During a man in the street small business he said that if their partylist secures a seat in Congress, he would advocate for simplified loan processes.
"Kung mag-loan ka, pupunta ka sa 5/6 kasi walang business requirements. Pero sa bangko, ang daming papeles. We should lessen 'yung paper requirements para mas madaling makautang sa government agencies," he proposed.
Proposed advocacy initiatives: ‘Four-pillar approach’
Expanding on his plans for infrastructure, Larrazabal outlined a four-pillar approach: water resources, healthcare, power and solar lighting, and road access.
"What we did in some areas before was donate solar lights. We also focused on roads and access. You have four-lane, six-lane highways, but in some areas, even basic access is lacking," he explained.
He shared an experience in Leyte where the cost of medicine was significantly higher due to transportation difficulties.
"Ang gamot sa diarrhea dito mga six pesos, pero doon, 506 pesos. Alam mo kung bakit? Walang makapasok na multicab, so habal-habal lang ang option. One-way fare is 250 pesos," he recounted.
To resolve such issues, he proposes improving road networks without necessarily resorting to full cementing.
"Hindi naman kailangan i-semento ‘yan we just make sure na may access. [Ang] access ‘yan will provide economic activity and as equally ported ang tourism potential," he said.
#BakitIkaw? Partido Bagong Pilipinas
Additionally, addressing why voters should choose him, Larrazabal underscored his commitment to empowering Filipinos.
"Marami po tayong gustong gawin sa Pilipinas. Nandito kami to empower ang mga tao. Ginagawa namin ito hindi para sa akin, hindi para sa aming partido—ginagawa po namin ito para sa inyo," Larrazabal emphasized.
He concluded the Partido sa Bagong Pilipino’s mission to bring real change, "This is yours. Partido sa Bagong Pilipino, kasi tayo ang bagong Pilipino. Tayo ang magbabago sa Pilipinas—hindi para sa sarili natin, kundi para sa ating mga anak."
As the election season heats up, Larrazabal together with his party, advocates for sustainable water solutions, infrastructure development, and economic empowerment.
