Greco Belgica: Young and innovative

MANILA, Philippines - The youngest among the 33 senatorial aspirants has boyish looks and innovative programs for reform that have caught the public’s attention, which  just might catapult him to the Senate.

The 35-year-old Greco Antonious Beda Banta Belgica is running under the banner of the Democratic Party of the Philippines-Reporma Pilipinas.

But don’t let his age and youthful appearance fool you.

He pointed out that the father of President Aquino, former senator Ninoy Aquino, was just 34 years old when he joined the Senate.

Belgica is not a neophyte in politics. He served as councilor for the sixth district of Manila City from 2004 until 2007.

When asked why he chose to run for senator and not a lower position, Belgica said, “Our advocacy is for the Senate. It would not be solved by the city council, mayor, Congress or the president.”

One of his major platforms is the flat tax system, a one-time tax of not more than 10 percent of income, which is currently applied in 43 nations.

“It is simplifying the tax,” he said.

This system has received a thumbs up because it would lower the prices of commodities and increase workers’ take-home pay.

The government would also benefit because the employees and businessmen would be paying the correct taxes. He added, “the Philippines would become a tax haven for the whole world because it would be the country with the lowest tax rate.”

Once he becomes senator, he would also work for the abolition of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel because this has been a source of enrichment for legislators.

He plans to convert the PDAF to a tuition voucher fund to help students. The voucher would be honored in any school and create competition among educational facilities in terms of offering the best program at the least cost.

But while he has not reached this goal, he would use the PDAF to campaign against it.

“Since the PDAF has not yet been removed... we would use that PDAF money to pay for the airtime (through paid advertisements) and travel (to the provinces) to campaign against it,” Belgica added.

Belgica is the son of pastor Grepor Butch Belgica and Carmelita Banta Belgica. He is married to Nina Rizzi Velasco-Belgica, with whom he has two children.

The 6-foot tall candidate has been actively campaigning in Metro Manila, Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

The senatorial candidate, an elder and pastor at The Lords Vineyard Covenant Community, will capitalize on the support and votes of his fellow Christians.

“This would be my machinery. Our network is really big. We have 63,000 evangelical churches all over the Philippines, spread over 42,000 barangays.”

He will be advocating biblical principles in civil government. He is also hopeful to get the backing of the Catholics since he shares their position against the Reproductive Health (RH) Law and divorce.

Belgica has a Bachelor of Science and Administration in Marketing and Management from San Beda College Manila and did graduate studies on International Trade and Commerce at the University of California Berkeley.

He is founder and president of the Save a Child Program that offers scholarships to street children and vocational skills and development training to parents.

He has worked in the private sector as marketing manager of New Oasis Advertising, LLC Dubai, United Arab Emirates; chief executive officer of GBB Legacy, Inc.; CEO of Great Builders-Trading Co., CEO of Trailers on the Run; general manager of Bistro Carmelita by the Palace restaurant; and executive assistant to the chairman of Asian Precious Metals, Inc.