Where’s the true opposition?

By Herbert Vego

IT is hard to believe that after her unbelievable “loss” to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in May 2022, Leni Robredo has gagged herself. Not even one of her “defeated” senatorial candidates has regained his voice.

If it’s any consolation, the only winner in her line-up — Senator Riza Hontiveros — has steadfastly been critical of China’s spurious territorial claims at the West Philippine Sea.

Any thinking Pinoy must have wondered, “How could the son of the late dictator have catapulted himself to fame three years after losing to Leni for vice-president?

Probably because of that, there is now a snowballing move among well-paid vloggers and bloggers to project Sara as “the rising opposition,” if only to win against whomever Marcos would anoint as his successor through the next presidential derby in 2028.

Some of them used to be common enablers of the BBM-Sara “uniteam” in both the streamline and online media. But now they are either pro-BBM or pro-Sara, obviously in anticipation of the team’s eventual split.

You only have to see their TV vlogs and listen to their radio broadcasts to know what I mean.

For example, you must have heard a pro-Sara vlogger claiming to have been the first to notice and expose the “foreign scenes” used to promote the Department of Tourism’s “Love the Philippines” slogan that had cost the taxpayers “Php 49 million”.

Another blogger pooh-poohs Marcos’ “31 million votes” resulting from a “deal” with Smartmatic.

However, Marcos has been trying hard to preserve the “uniteam”. Millions saw him on TV telling Sara in a public gathering, “I have just officially designated myself as your self-appointed official BFF.”

BFF is the popular acronym for “best friend forever”.

Forget the pretense.  As the late Percy Lapid had predicted a few days before his murder, “Marcos and Duterte will break up.”

He was of the belief that Sara would run for president against another Marcos in 2028. There are indications it would be his cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez.

This is disheartening to Robredo’s millions of followers who had swarmed her campaign rallies. It’s about time she and her followers come out of hibernation and be heard on issues hounding the nation.

Why not comment on the decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) rejecting the appeal by the Philippine government to drop investigating the crimes against humanity filed against former President Rodrigo Duterte and the police over his bloody “war on drugs”?

Why not speak out on the controversial Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF), which is expected to be the centerpiece of the President’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 24?

Please let your voice be heard once again, Madam Leni.

-oOo-

INDIGENTS MAY ENJOY FREE ELECTRICITY

APPLICANTS for the lifeline power rate discount, if approved, may enjoy big bill discounts for minimal electricity consumption.  It is even possible to enjoy free electricity.

But it is nothing new. If my memory serves me right, most of the 25 Aeta families residing in Lanit, Jaro have been enjoying free electricity for two years already. The reason is because they consume not more than 20 kilowatt-hours per month.

Any indigent household may avail itself of the same privilege, or be entitled to percentage discount for consumption not exceeding 95 kWh/month.

Confirmed applicants consuming 81-95 kWh are entitled to 10% discount; 71-80 kWh,  20%; 61-70 kWh, 35%; 51-60 kWh, 45%; 21-50 kWh, 50%; and 0-20 kWh, 100%.

To know the requirements, consult the MORE Power Facebook page.

To further shed light on this matter, this writer has invited Mr. Niel V. Parcon, MORE Power’s Vice President for Corporate Energy Sourcing and Regulatory Affairs, to grace the radio program “Tribuna sang Banwa” (Sunday, 12:15 to 1:15). It is also aired live on the network’s Facebook account.