Sen. Migz Zubiri: Top 3 Plans for Next Term

This coming May 2022 national elections, incumbent senator Juan Miguel Zubiri is once again making a bid for the senate. The members of the Negrense Blogging Society, a.k.a. Bacolod bloggers, had an intimate chat with him via Zoom. It was something informal, but his plans are all very crucial. Here are the top 3 plans of Sen. Migz Zubiri if he gets another opportunity to get a seat in the Senate once again.

An Afternoon with Sen. Migz Zubiri

At 4 pm , the bloggers were already in the Zoom waiting room. We were told that Sen. Migz Zubiri is still wrapping up another meeting and will be with us soon.

When he finally got to sit down with us in the virtual room, the good senator was obviously still catching his breath, but his energy was very contagious. He greeted everybody in Hiligaynon, which made the atmosphere very relaxed and casual.

Among the many things we discussed, his top 3 plans for existing national problems caught my attention. These are very immediate concerns that are crippling our nation. So here are the Top 3 Plans that Sen. Migz Zubiri intends to tackle once he gets elected once again.

Top 3 Plans by Sen. Migz Zubiri

Sen. Migz has sponsored, authored, or co-authored many laws across his time in both houses of Congress. But perhaps his most popular would be the RA 9153 – Renewable Energy Act of 2008; which earned him the monicker, Mr. Clean Energy.

For the coming term, the charming senator from Southern Negros Occidental aims to tackle some really pressing issues that the Philippines is currently facing.

Natural Calamities: Establishment of Department of Disaster Management

With family roots hailing from Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, I asked Sen. Migz about the help he extended to the City after OdettePH last December. This question paved the way for the discussion of the establishment of the Department of Disaster Management.

Zubiri said that while he personally sent help to Kabankalanons in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Odette, he admits that it wasn’t enough. What the country needs, he said, is to set up a government office that will handle risk management.

That department will have the sole purpose of handling anything pertaining to natural disasters, which had been plaguing the country in recent years. Their responsibilities would be disaster preparedness, typhoon resiliency, equipment, infrastructure reconstruction, and the like.

“The best thing is, there will be a secretary who will be accountable for everything,” Zubiri enthuses.

Health: Setting Up Regional Specialty Hospitals Run by DOH

Being an archipelago, we cannot do much about our geography. However, we can do something about healthcare systems that are concentrated in Manila.

Zubiri is batting for regional specialty hospitals that can manage diseases that require special treatments and unique medical equipment, such as heart problems. As we were talking, he mentioned a P250-million budget for the Bacolod City General Hospital that is expected to start construction this year.

Agriculture: Buy Filipino Agricultural Products First

Amidst the clamor for fair trade among Filipino farmers, Zubiri is pushing for a law to regulate importations of commodities. He said that we should patronize products by local farmers first: from rice to sugar, to basic kitchen ingredients like garlic and onions.

The afternoon ended with a good note, as the senator shared about his personal interests and hopes for the country and the province of Negros Occidental. It seems that the well-loved senator is being taken in by different political wings, perhaps of his track record and winnability.

In Conclusion

As for Bacolod, Sen. Zubiri acknowledges that the two biggest contenders, incumbent Mayor Bing Leonardia and former Congressman Albee Benitez, are good friends. He is not endorsing anybody but says that he will wholeheartedly support whoever wins in order to bring Bacolod to newer heights in terms of development and progress.