Ben Madilynn
A RESIDENT of Matina Aplaya, Davao City was the first to file a Certificate of Candidacy (COC) for congressman in the city’s first district.
Fifty-nine-year-old Rex M. Labis of Shanghai, Matina Aplaya, filed for First District Congressman at 4:21 p.m. on Friday, October 4, 2024, at the Commission on Elections-Davao City office at Magsaysay Park. He is a former official from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and is now a businessman.
“Sa tabang sa Dabawenyos dili na ta magpadala sa kanang gipanghatag og kanang lugaw-lugaw, luoy na kaayo ang mga Dabawenyo. Ilaha nang obligasyon nga kami tabangan sa mga leader dili kay ilaron ra sa lugaw,” he said in a media interview.
(To all Dabawenyos, we should not be swayed by what they give us like rice porridge because Dabawenyos are suffering from their actions. It is the leaders’ responsibility to help the people and they should not be swayed by rice porridge).
Labis said that he is ready to face any politicians who will run against him. He explained that he wants to run for Congress because they are responsible for crafting laws, and he has observed that most politicians lack a firm stance and have not been doing anything.
When asked about the political performance of the Dutertes, he said he has no comment, noting that everyone has their own strategy in leadership.
This is the second time Labis has filed his candidacy for congressman.
One of his platforms is to establish a unified wage rate for the Philippines. He said that he wants the wage rate in Manila to be the same as that of all provinces, highlighting that the cost of living is similar despite wage discrepancies.
Labis expressed that his former colleagues from the BJMP urged him to run for Congress and will support him in his campaign. He said the party list he wanted to create did not meet the deadline, but he hopes this party can run in the 2028 elections.
His planned party list is named “Retirado”; it aims to represent retired personnel from safety and security forces.
He plans to distribute handbills and put up tarpaulins during his campaign. He emphasized that buying votes must be stopped, as this only leads to politicians not prioritizing the people’s needs. RGP
