MANY political observers have noticed the impressive showing of Davao City Congressman Karlo Nograles, the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, in the last Pulse Asia survey.
If ever Nograles makes it to the Senate in next year’s midterm elections, he will surely be a great asset to the said chamber.
As a lawmaker, Nograles is credited as the author or principal sponsor of many landmark legislations.
He is the main man behind the enactment and implementation Republic Act No. 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.
This law provides free education to all college students enrolled in state universities and colleges (SUCs) and local universities and colleges (LUCs) and technical-vocations students enrolled in Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)-run schools.
Nograles was also instrumental in making a reality the promise of President Rodrigo Duterte to double the pay of military and uniformed personnel (MUPs) by making the necessary allocations in the 2018 national budget in his capacity as Appropriations panel chairman.
Nearly 400,000 MUPs benefitted from said law.
Although Nograles still has a long way to go before he can deeply entrench himself in the “Magic 12”, there are indications, however, that he can make a big jump and give his potential rivals a run for their money.
As it is, there is strong possibility that he can greatly improve from his current 24-32 ranking and position himself within the winners circle, that is if he will play his cards right.
And his advocacies would certainly help him even as his family’s good name would also serve him in good stead.
Let us not forget that his father, former House Speaker Prospero Nograles, is a highly regarded national political leader.
To be assured a seat in the Senate, one must get at least 11 to 12 million votes and with a ready four million base of support, Nograles’ job of breaking through the winners’ circle would still be a gargantuan task but very doable.
In 2016, the Commission on Elections said that 20 million comprised the “youth vote” or the voters between the age of 18 and 35.
If Nograles can corner even a third of this demographic then he might just win next year.
As it is, we need more lawmakers like Nograles to move up from the House of Representatives to the Senate.
