Former TV reporter and House lawmaker Sol Aragones and incumbent Laguna Vice Governor Karen Agapay file their certificates of candidacy for governor. Aragones' photo is a screenshot from a video of ABS-CBN's Dennis Datu while Agapay's photo is from her office

MANILA (UPDATE) — Former TV reporter and House lawmaker Sol Aragones is seeking the Laguna governor post again after losing her bid for the position in the 2022 elections to Ramil Hernandez.

Despite heavy rains, hundreds of supporters accompanied Aragones on Monday as she filed her certificate of candidacy at the Commission on Elections office in Laguna. Her running mate is incumbent Second District Board Member Peewee Perez.

Aragones said she is now more prepared to launch a campaign after her defeat in the previous election.

"Matapos tayo ay matalo, nagtuloy-tuloy tayo sa pagtulong, sabi ko nga hindi naman ibig sabhin ng pagkatalo ay pagtigil na ng pagpintig ng puso ko sa pagtulong," Aragones said.

"Kaya nagpatuloy tayo sa pagtulong hanggang sa naramdaman natin na tumakbong governor ng lalawigan ng Laguna," she said.

One of Aragones' proposed programs if elected governor is to improve services and benefits at Laguna's district hospitals and to prohibit rude hospital staff. She also wants to provide scholarships for children even if they have failing grades in school.

LAGUNA VICE GOV KAREN AGAPAY FILES CANDIDACY FOR GOVERNOR

Meanwhile, Laguna Vice Governor Karen Agapay also filed her certificate of candidacy for the governorship of Laguna on Monday.

Agapay is in her final term as vice governor, but her name has not been prominently mentioned in the media as a potential candidate for governor.

"Actually ganyan din naman ako noong unang laban ko na vice governor, I won by an overwhelming votes of 250,000, and marami rin sinasabi na hindi ako matunog siguro sa social media or sa media hindi tayo matunog. I’m a doer and diretso ako bumababa sa mga tao," Agapay said.

HERNANDEZ'S WIFE ALSO GUNS FOR GOVERNOR

In previous elections, Agapay has always been the running mate of Governor Hernandez. 

However, as Hernandez’s term comes to an end, Agapay will face off against Hernandez's wife, incumbent Second District Representative Ruth Hernandez, for the governorship.

Agapay plans to advocate for free hospitalization for all residents of Laguna if she is elected governor.

Agapay’s running mate Lorenzo Boy Zuniga Jr., president of the Association of Barangay Chairmen, filed his candidacy for vice governor. Agapay and Zuniga are running under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Former actress Gem Castillo, wife of San Pablo City Mayor Vic Amante, is also running for vice governor in tandem with incumbent Santa Rosa City Representative Dan Fernandez in the race for governor of Laguna.

Fernandez aims to implement public-private partnerships for district hospitals in Laguna to further improve public services.

Aside from Agapay, Fernandez and Aragones, 2nd District Rep. Ruth Hernandez also filed her COC for governor. She will be running alongside incumbent board member Atty. JM Carait as her vice governor.

Incumbent Gov. Ramil Hernandez has also filed a COC to represent the 2nd district of Laguna, replacing his wife.

FOCUS ON HEALTH, HOSPITALS

The four candidates aspiring to become governor of Laguna are promoting programs related to health and hospitals  facilities improvements.

Fernandez aims to implement public-private partnerships for district hospitals in Laguna to further improve public services.

“We will be tapping the private sector  para nang sa ganoon  malevel up natin yung ating services  after all  mayroon naman tayo na mga PhilHealth na maaasahan yung ating mga kababayan but in terms doon sa tinatawag po natin infrastructure and ofcourse mga medical equipments I think kailangan lang talaga dito na innovative ka,” said Fernandez.

“Hindi mo siya i-100 percent privatized syempre kailangan dyan how many percent will be properly distributed doon sa ating private sector, I think we have to come up with that kind of idea  na hindi lahat sagot ng provincial government,” he added.

Agapay proposes free hospitalization for all Laguna residents.

“This was already implemented sa South Cotabato and sa Sultan Kudarat so this is doable and can be done dito sa lalawigan ng Laguna, this is pinaka-akma na gagawin natin kasi 9 ang district hospitals ng Laguna if we can implement  the free hospitalization for the people mas maganda,” said Agapay.

Aragones aims to further enhance services and benefits in public hospitals and will also prohibit hospital staff from being rude.

“Kumpletuhin ang mga gamot, lalo na ang mga maintenance na mga gamut  na kinakailangan ng ating mga kababayan  dahil ayaw natin na confined pero kalat ang paa  sa paghahanap ng tulong  para magkaroon sila ng gamut, nais ho natin kumpletuhin ang lahat ng kagamitan sa ospital, dialysis center, MRI, CT-scan at marami pang iba,”  Aragones added.

“Dang pinakaayaw ko po ay mahirap na ay pinaparamdam pa sa kanila na mahirap sila  pero wala rin ho ako balak tanggalin ang mga empleyado sa ospital na matataray ,nais natin silang i-empower ,tulungan pa, dagdagan ang mga nurse  at mga doctor lalo’t malaki naman ang pondo ng lalawigan ng Laguna,” Aragones further stated.

Rep. Hernandez proudly mentioned that during her tenure, the construction of the Laguna Regional Hospital was initiated.

“It po ang kauna-unahan na tertiary government hospital in the province  of Laguna at kauna-unahang DOH run hospital kasi po sa ngayon ang naaacomplished naming is the first part  kasi nakuha ko pondo sa kasalukuyan yun 150 million at ang uunahin ay yung out patient at diagnostic department, so isang phase pa lang ito  nang malaking ospital kaya tuloy-tuloy ito  at patuloy kami magtutulungan ,magkatuwang para matapos ang malaking proyektong ito na pakikinabangan ng mga mamamayan ng lalawigan ng Laguna,” she said.

Rep. Hernandez will also focus on tourism programs in the province if she becomes governor.

“Ngayon po nasimulan na natin through our campaign na Love, Laguna, I will make sure na lahat ng bayan at lungsod  ang mga festivals ,mga pangunahing produkto,tourist spots and  destinations, kikilalanin hindi lang po sa ating bansa  kungdi sa buong mundo,” she added.

READ: Former actress Gem Castillo running for vice-governor of Laguna, with Cong. Fernandez as governor