Spare Mayor Leni from poll surveys

By Herbert Vego

THE announcement of Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo that she would not seek the presidency in 2028 should derail the mind-conditioning political surveys pitting her against Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio for President in 2028.

The surveys also showcase Senator Raffy Tulfo as another frontliner.

Since it’s only Inday Sara who has declared herself a runner, it’s not fair to paint an image of the popular mayor lagging behind her, as in that survey saying that in a one-on-one match-up, Duterte would gain 51% against Robredo’s 43%.

With only 1,200 unidentified respondents – nationwide kuno — this scenario does not reflect the reality felt on the ground.

The reality is that the VP is suffering from public censure because of the ongoing impeachment proceedings at the House of Representatives and forthcoming impeachment trial in the Senate for culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and betrayed public trust; and threats to assassinate the President, the First Lady, and the former Speaker of the House.

Contrary to the surveys, we see no groundswell of support for Inday Sara. On the contrary, the various rallies calling for the “resignation” of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos so she could take over had failed to attract big crowds.  Nilangaw.

There was a time when VP Sara – obviously trying to forge a political alignment with her predecessor — visited Mayor Leni during the celebration of the Peñafrancia Festival in Naga City.

“The conversation we had was personal, not political,” Mayor Leni subsequently told the media.

So please, commercial pollsters, regardless of whatever motives you have in mind, exclude her from your surveys.

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WATCHING THE BIGGER SHIFT TO MORE POWER

I agree with the prediction of Leopoldo “Doods” Moragas – retired senior assistant vice president of the Philippine National Bank – that the impending entry of MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power) in the 1^st District of Iloilo to compete with the Iloilo I Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ILECO I) will motivate the latter to opt for a joint venture with the former.

MORE Power’s expansion to certain towns outside Iloilo City is the mandate of Republic Act No. 11918, which extended MORE Power’s franchise area to include parts of the 2nd and 4th districts of Iloilo.

MORE Power’s further expansion to all seven towns of the 1st District is what  Rep. Janette Garin’s House Bill 7647 all about.

It is ironic that the ILECO I executives have kept their lips sealed over the pain that the competition would inflict.

Doods believes, however, that their silence could turn golden if and when a MORE-ILECO I joint venture arises to save ILECO 1 from negative growth.

As of now, ILECO 1 has already lost to MORE Power its big business customers from the 2^nd Dist., namely Iloilo Supermart Pavia, International Builders Corporation (IBC), Waffle Time, Taytay sa Kauswagan, and Marlu’s Filipino Asian Restaurant.

But with a joint venture, pareho silang panalo.

As the saying goes, “In union there is strength.”

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AN INHOSPITABLE HOSPITAL?

OUR good friend Melvin de Leon, an octogenarian, shared to us the “inhospitality” that he and another senior citizen had experienced at the West Visayas State University Medical Center (WVSUMC). Since no parking space was available, they drove out of the exit gate to park somewhere else.

“We walked back to the same gate,” Melvin said, “but the security guard directed us to walk farther away to the entry gate.  Being already senior citizens who had already walked a kilometer, we begged for reconsideration, but were not allowed on the pretext that he was just obeying management order.”

Perhaps, hospital chief Dr. Dave Endel R. Gelito II should amend that order on behalf of senior citizens, as in the West Visayas Medical Center (WVMC), which has a narrow gate for pedestrians walking in and out on a walkway beside the vehicular entrance.