BACKED by a legislative experience like no other, a strongly defiant and passionate Valenzuela City 2nd Dist. Rep. Eric Martinez stood behind the podium to announce his bid for the 2025 Senatorial election after filing his Certificate of Candidacy (COC).
Rep. Martinez, a former House Deputy Speaker and currently vice-chairperson of the House Appropriations Committee, highlighted the importance of having an extensive resumé in applying for any job, and his 32 years of legislative and public service experience proves his sincerity and worthiness in seeking for a Senate seat.
“A long resume of legislative work – 32 years. If you want a resume, that’s my resume. Compared to others, that’s a story like no other,” Martinez proclaimed.
Before serving his third consecutive term as Valenzuela City congressman that started in 2022, he first served as Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Kagawad in Brgy. Marulas, Valenzuela City from 1992 until 1996; a legislative position.
From 1997 until present, Rep. Martinez was elected in various legislative positions such as Brgy. Kagawad (1997-2001), Valenzuela City 2nd District Councilor (2001-2007), Valenzuela City Vice Mayor (2007-2016), and eventually as Valenzuela City 2nd District Representative from 2016, within which was elected as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives from 2020 to 2022.
Martinez also once headed the House Committee on Youth and Sports, and currently as vice-chair of the Appropriations committee; he depended the proposed budget for fiscal year 2025 of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) during plenary deliberations recently.
Defying an election full of household names as aspirants that can get away with fancy stories, Rep. Martinez is aware of the odds of campaigning as a relatively unknown public servant compared to his fellow candidates, hence emphasizing his solid credentials.
“Mahirap magpakilala sa buong Pilipinas with 70 million registered voters… (However) I would like to make it clear; I am a serious candidate running for the Senate of the Republic of the Philippines,” Martinez willfully declares.
“It’s a crowded race I know… Sikat, hindi ako sikat, but then I have the resume. Iyon lang ang maipagmamalaki ko sa inyo. You compare my resume to other candidates; they don’t have the same resume as I have. Thirty-two years of legislative work that started 1992 and will end in 2025 as a three-term congressman,” Martinez said.
Likewise, the veteran lawmaker is confident that he has the full support of the people of Valenzuela City, barangay and SK officials, as well as councilors and vice mayors nationwide and his colleagues in the Lower house.
“What I have now is the entire city of Valenzuela, that I will always be proud of. What I have now, hopefully, all SK kagawads of the 42,000 barangays as they could say that there is a senator they could represent… si Eric SK kagawad ‘yan, si Eric barangay kagawad ‘yan, just imagine the number of them. Si Eric city councilor ‘yan… you have all the city councilors that could relate to me, all the vice mayors who could relate to me and of course all the 300 congressmen my comrade in lawmaking hopefully will back me up in this endeavor,” Martinez stated.
The senatorial aspirant also mentioned having the full support of the Gatchalian’s, the undefeated political family of their city which includes incumbent Senator Win Gatchalian, former mayor and congressman, now Secretary Rex Gatchalian of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
“We have a good relationship in the city of Valenzuela with the Gatchalian’s, it is better we keep united. We have been together in the last five elections, definitely I have their backing,” Martinez said.
Rep. Martinez garnered excellence from his huge contributions in sports with the establishment of the House of Kobe in Valenzuela City along with several other A-grade sports facilities, eventually turning Valenzuela City as the “Basketball Capital” of the Philippines.
The legislator also fought hard for his initiatives during his tenure in the House of Representatives in areas like public health care and climate resiliency, serving as the principal author of the Republic Act No. 11327, expanding Valenzuela Medical Center’s bed capacity and its existing healthcare services.
Earlier this year, Rep. Martinez likewise proved his forward-thinking method of policy-making by suggesting a comprehensive government protocol during the dry season in addition to the rainy season in the country to mitigate the negative socioeconomic effects of the new normal under increasing global warming.
