Laban ni Alban: More Improvements not Change says this Senatoriable

Standing Tall, Fighting Big Atty. Angelo de Alban

As part of the Legislative Department, the Senate, or the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, is mandated to create and review laws. But as we’ve seen in the recent past, it has become a seasonal courtroom drama with committee hearings and inquiries “in aid of legislation” taking most of their time.

Its also a bit funny how our lawmakers aren’t required to be lawyers in the first place–after all dont engineers require an engineering degree, doctors a medical, teachers a degree in education and so on, but for some of the most powerful people who run our country, it seems residency and money are the biggest requirements to become a senator.

According to the senate website: The qualifications for membership in the Senate are expressly stated in Section 3, Art. VI of the Constitution as follows:

No person shall be a Senator unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, and on the day of the election, is at least thirty-five years of age, able to read and write, a registered voter, and a resident of the Philippines for not less than two years immediately preceding the day of the election.

It is worthy to note that the age is fixed at 35 and must be possessed on the day of the elections, that is, when the polls are opened and the votes cast, and not on the day of the proclamation of the winners by the board of canvassers.

With regard to the residence requirement, it was ruled in the case of Lim v. Pelaez  that it must be the place where one habitually resides and to which he, after absence, has the intention of returning.

The enumeration laid down by the Constitution is exclusive under the Latin principle of expressio unius est exclusio alterius. This means that Congress cannot anymore add additional qualifications other than those provided by the Constitution.

Its one of the challenges being faced by Atty. Angelo de Alban a lawyer and professor in the University of Santo Tomas (UST) who is in danger of being disqualified not because he isn’t qualified but because of questions as to how he would be able to mount a nationwide campaign.

But times have changed and although it is still very important to  go around the country to campaign, the internet and social media has made it a more level playing field when it comes to getting your platforms and messages to the voters.

Alban says said he wants to run for senator  because he wants to make improvements in the lives of Filipinos and not just Change.

“Everyone has been campaigning for change, but change can be either good or bad–what we need are Improvements, he told our group in a recent “meet and greet” lunch in Quezon City.

“Change is an uncertain term. It could be for better or worse. Many people promised change, look where we are now–worse than before,” Alban added.

“My advocacy is to improve. I’ve observed and experienced the ordinary Filipinos’ life. I don’t want to just change it. I want to improve it–not just in a given locality or province but nationwide,” he said.

Alban adds he also wants to reevaluate the TRAIN law.

“The purpose of TRAIN law is okay. But the problem is implementation they failed to account the daily living of Filipinos. Maganda siya in theory but sa implementation nawala ang kanilang mensahe at advocacy”, (It’s good in theory but its implementation lacks message and advocacy), he said.

Angelo De Alban is an advocate, a lawyer and an educator. Born in Manila to a father from Isabela and a mother from Ilocos Norte, Angelo grew up in Bulacan surrounded by less fortunate people whose lives reflected hardships. This early eye-opener inspired him to study hard to prove to everyone that education is one of the keys to improvement.

Angelo is from a family of lawyers and teachers. His grandfather is a lawyer while his grandmother is a public school teacher. His father is also a lawyer and his mother, a former flight stewardess and purser with Philippine Airlines, is now a public school catechist. All his three other siblings and sister-in-law are all teachers.

While attending college, he was a member of the Chorale, varsity player for both basketball and football teams. He had his on-the~job training with The Manila Times. He was also a working scholar in UST and a part-time freelance ramp model during his college days. He also sold discount cards, writing articles for different magazines and rendering paralegal assistance to earn living.

He was a writer for The Varsitarian, the official student publication of UST. He had his law on-the-job training with now Supreme Court Justice Lucas P. Bersamin.

After becoming a lawyer in 2007, Angelo taught in University of Santo Tomas different law courses and provided litigation services in courts for the under-privileged around the country, especially for OFWs, teachers, security guards and public transportation drivers. His clients’ profiles exposed him to different abuses committed against the hardworking members of the economic sector. His law practice strengthened his belief in the power of the ordinary people against all odds to bring about improvement around the country.

As a Lawyer: Angelo handles criminal-and civil cases around the country traveling to Cebu, Palawan and Cagayan De Oro regularly. He was the lawyer for a group of public school teachers in Laguna victimized by loan sharks and lawyered for at least 200 security guards and won almost Php 4 million settlement for them.

As a Teacher: Angelo started teaching Philippine Constitution, Taxation and Tourism Laws in the University of Santo Tomas in 2008 up to the present. He married his former student.

As a School Co-founder/Vice-President: In 2008, few months into teaching, Angelo co-founded with his family members a school for children with special needs. St. Philomena School: Kid’s Comfort Zone, Inc. St. Philomena School is the only private school for special education recognized by the Department of Education in entire Bulacan.

In 2019, Angelo De Alban intends to serve the public consistent with his advocacies on bio-health, agriculture and education. He would be the voice of the ordinary people often neglected because of under representation. He intends to be their champion at a time when the Philippines is facing crisis, one after the other—a divided nation, a country threatened with terrorism, a high inflation rate and rising cost of living.

Angelo’s dream is to unite all Filipinos under a promise of better tomorrow through an integrated education system without any corruption and unnecessary workload, a comprehensive health service available and affordable for everyone and a nationwide agriculture structure to ensure quality and quantity for the growing population.

Angelo and his wife, Shao, just got married last January and are proud expectant parents of their first child this coming November.

He is running as an independent candidate.

 

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