92.1 RTV BALER

22/02/2025

LEE WITHDRAWS SENATE CANDIDACY; VOWS TO HELP IN AGRI’s REELECTION BID, CONTINUE FIGHTING FOR FREE HEALTH CARE

AGRI Party-list Representative Manoy Wilbert Lee announced on Monday that he was withdrawing from the Senate race in the 2025 National and Local Elections.

In a press conference in Manila, Lee cited not enough machinery to implement a successful campaign. He will instead focus in helping AGRI Party-list in its reelection bid to ensure continuity of its advocacies.

“Sa pag-iikot ko po sa ating bansa, napagtanto ko na hindi sapat ang makinarya na mayroon po tayo ngayon para maabot ang lahat ng ating mga kababayan upang mapakilala at maipaalam ang aking mga ipinaglalabang adbokasiya. Naging malinaw sa akin na kailangan pa ng mas mahabang panahon para mapatibay ang pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga kapwa natin Pilipino at maging sapat ang kahandaan at makinarya para sa matagumpay na kampanya,” Lee shared.

“Tuloy naman po sa pagtakbo ang AGRI Party-list, na lalo pang nagsusumikap sa pagtupad ng mandato bilang kinatawan ng sektor ng agrikultura at ng mas nangangailangang sektor sa lipunan. Ngayon hanggang sa matapos ang aking termino, higit ko pang tututukan ang mga itinataguyod ng AGRI Party-list kabilang na ang dagdag na suporta sa agrikultura, proteksyon sa ating mga magsasaka, mangingisda at local food producers na itinuturing nating “food security soldiers”, para makamit ang murang pagkain para sa lahat,” he added.

The Bicolano lawmaker expressed gratitude to his family, campaign team, supporters and volunteers who fought alongside him in pursuing his causes for the Filipino people.

“Sa aking pamilya, campaign team, mga staff, kaibigan, sa ating mga volunteers at supporters na nagtiwala sa akin mula umpisa bilang kinatawan ng taumbayan sa Kongreso, hanggang sa paghahain ko ng kandidatura sa pagka-Senador, at higit sa lahat, sa ating Panginoon—taos-puso po akong nagpapasalamat. Kayo po ang nagsisilbing inspirasyon ko para lalong pagbutihin ang trabaho at mandatong paglingkuran ang mga Pilipino,” he said.

“Sa kabila ng mga hamon, sa mga hinarap at patuloy nating hinaharap na laban, maraming salamat po sa pagbibigay ninyo ng inyong oras, lakas at dedikasyon. It has been both a humbling and inspiring experience. Kung wala po kayo, hindi po magiging posible ang mga naging tagumpay natin,” he added.

A staunch health advocate, Lee was the first to expose in September 2023 that PhilHealth had enormous available funds amounting to more than P500 billion, aside from the more than P100 billion government subsidy every year.

He previously successfully pushed for a 30% increase in PhilHealth benefits, which was implemented last February 2024.

The solon’s consistent calls for better healthcare benefits also paved the way for another 50% increase in PhilHealth benefits which started in 2025—free dialysis, free eye check-up and prescription glasses for ages 0-15, free dental care, expanded coverage for breast cancer treatment, new benefit package for kidney transplant and heart ailments, and outpatient emergency care services, among others.

AGRI Party-list, under Lee’s leadership, championed legislative measures to protect the livelihood of farmers, fisherfolk and local food producers, to provide long-term solutions to rising prices of food, and achieve food security.

Among Lee’s principally authored legislations that passed into law are Republic Act (RA) No. 11953 or the “New Agrarian Emancipation Act”, RA 11985 or the “Philippine Salt Industry Development Act”, and RA 12022 or the “Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act”.

The solon from Bicol continues to push for the passage of the “Cheaper Rice Act,” “Post-harvest Facilities Act,” Kadiwa Agri-Food Terminal Act” and “Fishing Shelters and Ports Act”.

Committing to pursue his advocacies in his personal capacity, Lee said: “Hindi man ako tuloy sa pagtakbo sa Senado, patuloy ko pa ring isusulong ang aking mga adbokasiya para mapagaan ang pasanin ng ating mga kababayan para sa kalusugan at agrikultura. Wala man sa katungkulan, patuloy kong isasabuhay ang layunin kong “Gamot Mo, Sagot Ko!” para mabawasan ang pangamba ng ating mga kababayan sa pagkakasakit sa takot na lalong malubog sa utang at kahirapan dahil walang perang pambili ng gamot at pambayad sa pagpapa-ospital.”

“Tuloy ang ating laban, tuloy ang laban ng AGRI Party-list sa pagpapatuloy at pagpapabuti sa mga nasimulan nating adbokasiya, sa pagtataguyod ng murang pagkain, ng libreng gamot at pagpapagamot para sa bawat Pilipino. Laban natin itong lahat!” he added. # # #

30/01/2025

27/01/2025

MANOY WILBERT LEE
AGRI PARTY-LIST
NEWS RELEASE
27 JANUARY 2025

AGRI TO DA: FAST-TRACK BUILDING P3-B WORTH OF COLD STORAGES, IMPLEMENT COMPREHENSIVE SUPPLY MONITORING TO AVOID PRICE SURGE

AGRI Party-list and Senatorial aspirant Manoy Wilbert Lee welcomed the initiative of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to construct around 99 cold storage facilities for fruits and vegetables nationwide with a total budget of P3 billion, as he renewed his call to implement a more comprehensive supply monitoring of agricultural products to avoid price surge.

“Maganda ang inisyatibang ito ng DA, lalo pa’t matagal na natin itong panawagan. Bukod sa pangangalampag natin sa mga nakaraang budget deliberations na taasan o ipantay ang pondong inilalaan sa post-harvest facilities kabilang ang cold storages sa pre-harvest services, naghain din tayo ng panukalang batas para dagdagan ang suporta sa mga pasilidad na siguradong magpapataas sa kita ng mga magsasaka at local food producers,” AGRI Party-list said.

“Malinaw din na mababalewala lang ang mga itatayong cold storages kung walang mahigpit at epektibong monitoring sa supply, at kung hindi pa rin masasampolan ang mga hoarders na walang konsensyang nagpapataas sa presyo ng bilihin, habang nagpapakasasa sa sobrang kita,” it added.

AGRI Party-list, principal author of Republic Act No. 12022 or the “Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Law”, has been consistently pushing for legislative measures that will reduce the prices of food by providing additional support for the agricultural sector and protecting the livelihood of local food producers.

Under its House Bill No. 3958 or the “Post-Harvest Facilities Support Act”, the DA, in cooperation with various government agencies including the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), shall provide farm equipment and machinery such as cold storages, dryers, threshers, and transport facilities to farmer cooperatives.

Earlier, in connection with the looming declaration of Food Security Emergency in the country, AGRI stressed the importance of sufficient support for farmers saying, “Sang-ayon po tayo sa pagdedeklara ng food security emergency para mapagaan ang pasanin ng ating mga kababayan, pero naniniwala tayo na panandaliang solusyon lang ito.”

“Bukod sa short-term solutions, dapat simulan na ang pagpapatupad ng long-term solutions para maging kumpleto ang suporta sa mga local food producers, at hindi na kailanganin pang magdeklara ng food security emergency sa hinaharap,” AGRI stated.

“Food security is a national security issue. Dapat gawing prayoridad ang pangangalaga at suporta sa ating mga local food producers o ‘food security soldiers’ dahil nakasalalay sa kanila ang sapat na supply at murang pagkain. Dapat buhusan at paglaanan ito ng tiyak na pondo taon-taon, at siguruhin ang mabilis na implementasyon ng mga programa para maramdaman agad ng mga Pilipino ang benepisyong hatid nito,” it added. # # #