MANILA, Philippines — Former radioman and entrepreneur Carl Balita filed his candidacy on Thursday for the Senate in next year's elections, vowing to address health, economic and education-related "crises" caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Balita is part of the senatorial slate of Aksyon Demokratiko, which has Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso as its candidate for president in 2022.
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He is known to have founded the Carl E. Balita Review Center and has a following of about 670,000 on social media.
Should he win a seat in the upper chamber, the aspirant said his platform would focus on three "Ks: Kalusugan, Kabuhayan, Karunungan" (Health, Economy, Learning).
"I offer my experience in leading quality organizations," Balita said, "my higher education, the network I have built...and my willingness to find meanings in the experiences of the most vulnerable sectors hit by this pandemic disruption."
He added his proposed measures would focus on recovery but no longer gave specific details.
Balita said Moreno personally reached out to him to join his Senate ticket. He shared his joining of Aksyon Demokratiko was fitting for his identity.
The party, he said, was founded by the late senator Raul Roco who was an educator like him, and one of its first officials, Jimmy Galvez Tan, was a medical professional.
"It resonates with who I am," the aspirant added.
Balita said he is a registered nurse and midwife, as well as a licensed teacher.