Silent, but eloquent rally held for 1st dist candidate Mags Maglana

Photo by Kath Cortez/davaotoday.com

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – In the final week of the election campaign, while major political parties staged huge rallies with songs, dances and speeches, an independent congressional candidate found her supporters staging a different campaign.

Women NGO workers, nuns and teachers stood in a quiet rally on Thursday at Freedom Park along Roxas Street in support of first district congressional candidate Victoria ‘Mags’ Maglana, handing out campaign flyers and even flowers to passersby and jeepney passengers. Without the usual fanfare of loud campaign jinges, the women calmly explained to the public about Maglana’s election platform.

Maria Morales, one of those who joined the rally, believed that Maglana’s background as an NGO worker could translate into pro-people legislation that would benefit Dabawenyos. 

Morales hoped that Maglana can carry environmental issues, which she is concerned about as the city has been affected by climate change.

“Especially now, in this era of global warming, we really need someone like Mags. We don’t need a politician who is only popular, pretty, but inarticulate—someone who doesn’t even know what they’re supposed to do,” Morales said.

Photo by Kath Cortez/davaotoday.com

The women have formed an organization called The Forum for Truth and Honesty by Women for Integrity, Transformation and Hope (FORTHWITH), which aims “to ensure a city where the human rights of all are respected and protected.”

“After in-depth analysis and much reflection, we, the undersigned, believe that Maria Victoria ‘Mags’ Maglana is the best candidate for Representative of the first congressional district of Davao City. She is a long-time development and governance expert, a human rights and environmental advocate, a facilitator and trainer, an organizational development specialist, and a committed peacebuilder,” the group said in their statement.

They added that they shared Maglana’s “passion for transparency and accountability in government,” as well as her focus on addressing “city-wide concerns affecting the majority of Dabawenyos, like transportation and traffic problems and environmental concerns such as the perennial flooding in many parts of our city.”

Photo by Kath Cortez/davaotoday.com

In response to the show of support, Maglana personally thanked the women, calling them “courageous” for speaking out despite going up against the powerful Duterte and Nograles political clans, who are also seeking various posts in the city.

“Di man nato kaya ang rally nga saba (We are not able to stage a loud rally), that’s why we held a silent rally. Pero the silence is very eloquent,” Maglana said, praising her supporters and emphasizing that not all candidates receive support from critical and visionary women who seek “a better Davao.”

Maglana, age 56, is running for the second time for the first district, challenging two political dynasties: incumbent Congressman Paolo ‘Polong’ Duterte and challenger Margarita ‘Migs’ Nograles.

Despite the lack of political machinery and resources, Maglana’s campaign finds her being joined by youth volunteers going house-to-house in around urban poor communities in the city’s first district.

Maglana said she is offering Dabawenyos a chance aside from the Dutertes and Nograles.

“I’m going to message it as this is our chance, us Davaoeños. If we don’t want to be tied to another dynasty, whether it’s the dynasties of the Dutertes or the Nograleses, we will choose for ourselves,” she said in an interview.

Maglana’s credentials include working as facilitator of national and international conferences, and as consultant of various agencies such as the Department of Interior and Local Governance, National Commission on Culture and the Arts, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. 

She is a board of trustee member of Ateneo de Davao University, where she graduated in AB Philosophy and was a two-term president of the university’s Samahan Central Board. She is also convener of the civil society group Konsyensya Dabaw. (davaotoday.com)