Robredo has come out with her Kalayaan sa Covid strategy which only serves to confuse the public since the pandemic response of the government is well on its way to success with the containment of the Delta-induced surge. The public is confused because Robredo is carping about pandemic response as the linchpin of her economic recovery strategy which again is mostly, motherhoood statements.
Domagoso and Pacquiao have no clear platform. Theirs is like a teleserye on a per episode basis. It depends their sortie schedule. It is similar to a man courting a woman where he makes promises with each visit leading to the proverbial question if the woman will agree to be his girlfriend. This best describes the conduct of the Domagoso and Pacquiao campaigns.
It is clear that Lacson-Sotto is the most organized ticket at the moment. This is why both have never agreed to step aside for Robredo when she made her overtures to them. Robredo is polling well only among the ABC demographic which is the anti-Duterte base. She’s not doing well in the D and E, or the laylayan, which she claims to be advocating for.
In terms of the narrative of the poor and struggling, Lacson actually is the real success story. Born to a jeepney driver father and market vendor mother, educated in public schools, gained admission to the Philippine Military Academy, rose through the ranks in military service and later the national police, vied for elective office and continues with his public service career which now totals 50 years.
It should be the three who should think of withdrawing and rallying behind a common candidate who stands the best chance of challenging the administration ticket. Compared to the Robredo Liberals, the Isko Liberals and the Pacquiao Promdis, the NPC-Reporma-NUP coalition is the best organized political group in the country today. They even have the administration beat, which is still busy with internal wrangling among father and daughter.
As it is, Robredo has to contend with the sniping within her own “coalition” between the liberals and the progressives who still can’t see eye-to-eye. The issue of ideological purity is what makes it difficult for the “opposition” under Robredo to unite.
With a good seven months to go in the race before election day, the prospects for the “opposition” isn’t very good. Lacson-Sotto is neither pro-Opposition or pro-Administration. They’re in the middle of the pack. Who’s to say that there wouldn’t be a tectonic shift in support when the round of debates begin which is usually the time the voters start firming up their choices?
The ball is actually in the court of the opposition and not with Sen. Lacson.
Comments