Sad over the JPT-Jam break-up

By Herbert Vego

AFTER terminating their political alliance, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas and Congresswoman Juliene “Jam-jam” Baronda seemed to have minimized its impact on the basis of mutual understanding. The agreement called for the mayor to quit and let his daughter Raisa take over his position in the event she wins the May 12 mayoralty race.

In return, the mayor would not field an opponent against the re-electionist congresswoman, virtually assuring victory for the two women against independent opponents: Mel Carreon against Baronda, Roland Magahin against Treñas.

The fly in the ointment, however, is the entry of Jam-Jam’s sister, Julie Grace “Love-Love” Baronda, who is running against re-electionist Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon.

Because of her aforesaid peace pact with the mayor, shouldn’t Jam-Jam have asked her sister to wait for a better time to run?

Unfortunately, this has spawned distrust and unconfirmed rumors between the Treñas and Baronda camps. Carreon, for example, was reported in the social media to have said that the Treñases would support him against Baronda.

Magahin, on the other hand, has been heard and seen in public expressing his support for the Barondas. This could create an impression, whether right or wrong, that the Barondas would support him, too.

If Baronda detests the act of the mayor endorsing the re-election of Vice-Mayor Ganzon, it is not correct, since they were a trio in the 2022 election.

Ironically, some people could not be prevented from spreading naughty rumors against Mayor Jerry Treñas, who is in fact a political retiree. There’s one about his having sired children by women other than his pretty wife, Rosalie.

“Kon may ara,” JPT gamely jokes, “pakadtua sa akon kay pa-eskuwelahon ko.”

We have yet to hear a reaction from Inday Rosalie.

-oOo-

TALE OF THE DIMINISHING ‘AYUDA’

IN radio interviews, opposition mayoral candidate Dennis Valencia of Tigbauan, Iloilo echoed the call of the beneficiaries of the national government’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) for a probe of an alleged anomaly in its disbursement.

Valencia said that this fund from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is being distributed not by DSWD personnel but by local elective officials running in the May 12, 2025 election, hence tantamount to vote-buying.

Is it true that, while beneficiaries are entitled to a cash aid of P3,000 each, they only receive P1,000?

“But they are made to sign a receipt reflecting the right amount,” Valencia alleged.

May we ask Tigbauan Mayor Virgilio “Nene” Teruel for reaction?

-oOo-

ELECTRICITY RATE HIKE EXPLAINED

MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power), Iloilo City’s distribution utility, has slightly increased electricity rate to P12.0344 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) starting April 18 – an increase of P1.6167 from the previous rate.

The increase in the electricity rate is attributed to higher WESM prices, transmission charges and system loss.

WESM is abbreviation for the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, which is the venue for trading electricity as a commodity in the Philippines.

It is already public knowledge that MORE Power and the electric cooperatives do not produce electricity.  They distribute electricity generated by the power plants and transmitted to them through the facilities of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

Price hike is driven by the law of supply in demand: If demand exceeds supply (a shortage), prices tend to rise as buyers compete for limited goods. But if supply exceeds demand (a surplus), prices tend to fall as sellers try to attract buyers with lower prices.

Right now, unfortunately, the summer-month of April demands higher consumption of household electricity.