SENATOR Panfilo Lacson on Sunday said that implementing his future-proof strategic measures to lift the country from the adverse effects of the Covid19 pandemic will be his priority if he wins next year.

Included in this wide-ranging agenda is the creation of jobs to curb unemployment, overhauling the budget system to cut national debt, providing funds for the universal healthcare coverage of Filipinos, and stamping out unbridled corruption in the bureaucracy, among others.

Lacson and his running mate, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, wants to get to the bottom of the rampant agricultural smuggling they recently uncovered, as well the perennial diplomatic, trade and national security issues involving the West Philippine Sea.

“By fixing how the national budget should be distributed equitably across the regions, the Universal Health Care Act could be properly funded, thus allowing all Filipinos to get the standard level of care and medical treatment promised to them by the state under the law,” Lacson said.

Eliminating graft across all levels of the bureaucracy is equally crucial for Lacson, as this affects different sectors, including healthcare.

He cited as example the anomalous management of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation that led to seven hospitals in Iloilo City cutting ties with it.

“‘Yung paglaban sa korupsiyon, ‘yon ang aming talagang pinag-uukulan ng pansin. At hindi lang dahil mag-e-eleksiyon. Matagal na naming ginagawa, hindi sa salita, more sa gawa,” the senator said.

“Mahirap lang magkuwento ng mga dumarating doon na mga lobby money na isinasauli namin—kaming dalawa ni Senate President—actual ito. ‘Yun ang pumapatay sa atin, ‘yung katakot-takot na problema sa korupsiyon na hindi natutugunan,” Lacson said.