ZAMBOANGA City first district Representative Celso Lobregat has initiated the conduct of signature campaign among his co-leagues in Congress to give monetary incentive to the Zamboangueña weightlifter Rio Olympics Silver Medalist Hidilyn Diaz.
“I have proposed to House Speaker Bebot (Pantaleon) Alvarez to launch a signature campaign requesting salary deduction to all congressmen and give the same to Hidilyn, the speaker agreed on my proposition and he was the one who firstly signed it and placed the amount he pledged to share for Hidilyn,” Lobregat said.
Lobregat then followed through and signed and pledged his commitment, to be deducted from his salary in Congress as well as other 145 congressmen who were present in the plenary hall.
There are 290 members of the 17th Congress and Lobregat intend to let everybody sign his proposition and “agree on the salary deduction for our local hero.”
“We are doing this not for any reason, but to help and inspire Hidilyn and other athletes of the country to aspire more and be like her or more than her also to give honor to our country,” he said.
He said that such initiative is voluntary in nature and is glad that almost everyone agreed to it and pledged their support on that move as a sign of good gesture honoring the pride of Zamboanga City.
The total amount, which will be raised by the members of the House of Representatives, will be given to Diaz upon her visit in Congress anytime this week.