Support from different sectoral groups continues to pour in for the re-election bid of Sen. Bam Aquino, this time coming from a labor organization representing workers from the public and private sectors.

In its 17th General Assembly on Saturday, the Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa or SENTRO declared its full backing for Sen. Bam for being a reliable partner when it comes to workers’ welfare in the Senate.

“Noon pa man, tumutulong na si Sen. Bam sa mga isyung may kinalaman sa ating mga manggagawa at sa sektor ng transportasyon,” said Josua Mata, secretary general of SENTRO.

According to Mata, Sen. Bam was the only senator who listened to SENTRO’s suggestion on the modernization of private utility jeepneys (PUJs) and worked closely with the group in the crafting of the Security of Tenure Bill.

During the event, Sen. Bam also signed a memorandum of agreement with SENTRO, represented by its chairperson Daniel Edralin, committing to work for the betterment of the workers and the transport sector.

In his speech, Sen. Bam said he filed Senate Bill No. 2056 or the “Makatarungang Transisyon Tungo sa Modernisasyon” with the support from SENTRO and other transport organizations, such as the National Confederation of Transportworkers Union (NCTU), ACTO, and Philippine Advocates for Transport Convergence.

The measure aims to make jeepneys safer and more efficient for commuters and the environment, while ensuring the livelihood of drivers and their families.

“Inihain natin ang nasabing panukala nang malaman nating malaking isyu sa transport sector ang pinaplanong PUV modernization ng gobyerno na posibleng mauwi sa pagkawala ng kanilang kabuhayan,” said Sen. Bam.

In 2016, Sen. Bam worked closely with SENTRO before filing Senate Bill No. 174 or the Security of Tenure Bill, which is aimed at ending the practice of contractualization in the country.

If he wins a second term, Sen. Bam promised to push for the passage of the Security of Tenure Bill and other labor-related measures.

“Dapat sa 18th Congress, maipasa na ang Security of Tenure Bill. Na-file na po natin ang panukalang ito noong June 2016,” said Sen. Bam, a co-author and co-sponsor of the Security of Tenure Bill.

SENTRO’s expression of support came after NCTU, one of the biggest transport groups in the country, and Barangay Health Workers (BHW) from different parts of the country backed Sen. Bam’s candidacy.