Party-list lawmaker eyes Senate run

MANILA, Philippines - Rep. Cresente Paez of party-list group National Confederation of Cooperatives yesterday said he is considering running for senator in next year’s elections.

He said members of cooperatives throughout the country, whom he represents, and his colleagues in the party-list bloc in the House of Representatives have been urging him to seek a Senate seat “to give a voice to the different marginalized sectors whose interests have to be protected.”

He added that he would prefer to run with Senators Grace Poe and Francis Escudero, if the two would launch their candidacies for president and vice president, since many party-list groups have expressed support for a Poe-Escudero ticket.

Philippine Confederation of Cooperatives national chairman Hamil Rutaquio said the candidacy of Paez would be a boost for the cooperatives sector, which today counts over 13 million Filipinos as members.

“There are already 24,652 registered cooperatives in the country, with over P600 billion in assets. As a sector, we are directly responsible for providing 520,758 jobs and play a major role in making growth more inclusive in our country,” he said.