Vice President Leni Robredo gears up for the fight of her life as she seeks the presidency in the upcoming national elections. At the grand rally held at Plaza Quezon in Naga City on Tuesday, February 8, Robredo gave a speech that rallied the people to join her in the quest to have an honest government to improve people’s lives. With Robredo onstage were running mate, Senator Kiko Pangilinan, and senatorial candidates Teddy Baguilat, Chel Diokno, Risa Hontiveros, Dick Gordon, Alex Lacson, Sonny Matula, and Sonny Trillanes. Detained reelectionist Sen. Leila de Lima was represented by her spokesperson, Dino de Leon (second from left). Photos by VPLeni Media Bureau
SAN FRANCISCO, AGUSAN DEL SUR—Partylist lawmakers, who call themselves the “power bloc” for representing the energy sector in Congress, are supporting the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo in the May 9 elections.
Rep. Presley de Jesus of the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association partylist declared during an online press conference Monday that he and three colleagues in the energy bloc at the House of Representatives had decided to rally behind Robredo’s candidacy, as the latter had agreed not to support the privatization of electric cooperatives if elected president.
De Jesus’ other colleagues include Rep. Sergio Dagooc of the Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (Apec), Rep. Godofredo Guya of the Rural Electric Cooperatives Board of Directors Association (Recoboda), and Rep. Adriano Ebcas of Ako Padayon Pilipino.
He said Robredo had signed a covenant with their group that she would not support the privatization of electric cooperatives if elected president of the country.
“We are proud to say that we are supporting Vice President Robredo,” de Jesus said when asked who among the presidential bets the “power bloc” lawmakers were going to support.
The group had consistently fought moves in Congress to privatize several electric cooperatives in the country, including the Northern Davao Electric Cooperative (Nordeco), the Iloilo Electric Cooperative (Ileco) I, Ileco II and Ileco III, and the Camarines Sur Electric Cooperative (Casureco) III.
Recently, the group also opposed moves by the Aboitiz-owned Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) to take over electricity distribution in two cities and seven towns in Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro provinces, covered by the service area of Nordeco.
De Jesus said Rodredo had also committed to continuing the Sitio Electrification Program that aims to energize some 1.2 million households in far-flung areas of the country.
He said that the “power bloc” could deliver a strong vote for the vice president from 14 million electric cooperatives members and power consumers in the country.
This developed as the National Center of Electric Cooperatives Consumers (Ncecco) called on the electorates not to vote for politicians behind the moves to privatize electric cooperatives.
Edgardo Rama Masongsong, Ncecco secretary-general and former administrator of the National Electrification Administration, had been urging millions of Ncecco members nationwide not to vote for officials and lawmakers who backed the privatization of electric cooperatives, as this would bring about increases in power rates, making electricity unaffordable to ordinary consumers.
He did not mention the names of the politicians in other areas, but cited former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who is seeking reelection in the first congressional district of Davao del Norte, and reelectionist Gov. Edwin Jubahib of Davao del Norte.