By Leonardo Micua

 

MANY people in Pangasinan I’ve talked to were disappointed at their idol Manila Mayor Isko Domagoso aka “Moreno” when he unabashedly called on Vice President Leni Robredo to withdraw from the presidential race. They said his response was uncalled for even given his narrative that she sent her men to talk to all presidential hopefuls to ask them to unify in her favor or else nobody can stop Bongbong Marcos anymore from marching to Malacanang.

Kakampinks, who are now an army to reckon with nationwide and even in the province, were the first to slam Isko’s childish call for Leni to back out from the presidential race. They think the Manila mayor may have lost his good sense because even his fellow candidates, Senator Ping Lacson and former security adviser Norberto Gonzales, who joined the press conference last Ester Sunday distanced themselves from that call.

Even Manny Pacquiao, who was also invited to join that press conference but failed to make it, believes that the Manila mayor crossed the bounds of decency when he asked Leni to withdraw from the race, saying ours is still a democracy, so no candidate can dictate on the other candidate.

With just less than three weeks before the elections, Robredo refuses to lose her focus in the last remaining days of the campaign, and ignores reacting to Domagoso’s call.

I hope Isko’s tantrums don’t have anything to do with the mass defection of his big leaders, among them Tim Orbos, chief convenor of IM Pilipinas, who switched to Leni’s side, otherwise he would be compared to a hen that has gone running berserk because it has become afraid of its own shadow.

With his latest stance, many believe Isko has self-destructed, and gave away the presidency in a silver platter to Bongbong Marcos who leads in all pre-election surveys over all other candidates by the proverbial mile less than three weeks before the final reckoning.

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Commuters are again up in arms against another discriminatory policy of the LTFRB. This time, in conspiracy with the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), LTFRB says provincial buses can only traverse EDSA from 10 p.m.-5 a.m.

Without prior warning, provincial commuters that trooped early to the different bus terminals in Cubao were caught unaware and found themselves waiting at the terminals till 10 p.m. before they could board buses. Those who could wait for the buses to move out till 10 p.m. were forced to hail a taxicab that will commute passengers from Cubao to Malolos City at P600 per head at a minimum of four passengers. 

Because of this new policy, the Victory Liner in Dagupan again reduced its trip schedules (Dagupan-Cubao).

We were informed that it is the MMDA that wants to clear EDSA of provincial buses from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. because of heavy traffic volume in the area.

And then, only provincial buses that previously issued QR codes and special permits  by LTFRB can enter Metro Manila from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Those without QRs, which are many, can still load passengers in Dagupan and elsewhere in Pangasinan but will have to drop off their passengers at the North Luzon Expressway Terminal (NLET) in Bocaue, Bulacan owned by the Iglesia ni Cristo.

Still, it will still be an ordeal to board another bus in NLET to reach Metro Manila, specifically EDSA.

Metro Manila and Pangasinan are both under Alert Level 1 classification yet LTFRB makes it still difficult for commuters to move to-and-fro Manila because of this restriction.

Hopefully, the next administration will be kindlier and will relax or remove all these restrictions.

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With just 16 days left before the elections, it looks like Governor Pogi Espino is set to win a third term of office notwithstanding the awesome challenge posed by 5th District Rep. Monmon Guico. Let’s admit it, Pogi made a better impact on the people of Pangasinan, than Guico in the last six years.

Based on yet unofficial surveys, Pogi has a higher popularity rating than Guico, mainly on account of his many tangible programs and projects that made the life of Pangasinenses, especially the marginal ones, better.

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