MANILA, Philippines — ACT Teachers' Party-list filed its Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance on Tuesday to join the 2022 elections, vowing to continue pursuing reforms in the education sector.
Rep. France Castro filed their party-list's CONA at the Sofitel tent in Pasay along with their second nominee, Antonio Tinio who also previously represented ACT Teachers in the lower house.
The move coincided with the celebration of World Teachers' Day on October 5.
"We have seen the track record of ACT Teachers since 2010 up to present," said Castro in Filipino. "We have been fighting for the demands of teachers and those in the education sector."
Castro sits as the party-list's lone representative in the 18th Congress. Should they win another term, she said they would focus on pushing for better wages and working condition for teachers.
ACT Teachers won its first seat in the House of Representatives in 2010 and has been part of the left-wing Makabayan bloc.
Lawmakers part of that group have long been red-tagged by military and government officials who claimed they have ties to the armed movement but have failed to substantiate such.
"It is clear that there is no basis to the government's allegations," Tinio said in Filipino. "This is but part of red-tagging tactics to silence organizations that are legal, peaceful, and fighting for the true interests of teachers, staff, and students."
Castro is the party-list's first nominee for next year's general elections, followed by Tinio.
Other nominees are De La Salle University Prof. David Michael San Juan, Helene Dimaukom, and Fabian Halig. — Christian Deiparine