‘Punong-puno ako’: Empty promises irk Pacquiao

FILE PHOTO: Senator Manny Pacquiao. Cesar Tomambo/Senate PRIB

MANILA, Philippines— Senator Manny Pacquiao aired his exasperation on Wednesday over empty promises made during congressional hearings.

In a privilege speech, Pacquiao slammed Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi over the current power interruptions in Luzon despite the latter’s earlier assurance to the Senate that there would be no power crisis in the country.

After his speech,  Senator Aquilino  “Koko” Pimentel  III suggested the need for another hearing to dig deeper on the power problem.

Pimentel said the hearing should be “more investigative in nature.”

“At saka siguro magtanong na tayo ng pointed at mahihirap na question sa hearing na ‘yun na talagang demanding accurate answers and reminding the person who’s answering that you’ are recorded and we are remembering the word that you’re saying,” he said.

(And maybe we should ask pointed and difficult questions in the hearing that are really demanding accurate answers and reminding the person who’s answering that you are recorded and we are remembering  the word that you’re saying.)

Pacquiao agreed, as he aired his frustration over issues being investigated in the Senate but remains unsolved.

READ: Cusi: No looming power crisis

“Sa totoo lang, napupuno talaga  ako. Ayaw ko ‘yung mag-uusap tayo dito tapos pagkatapos ng hearing, lilipas na lang ‘yung  taon, ilang taong lumipas ‘yung pinag-usapan na solution hindi man lang ginagawa,” he said.

(To be honest, I’m already fed up. I hate that we’d talk here and then after the hearing, years will just pass and the solution talked about was not even being implemented.)

“Eh kaya walang nangyayaring resultang maganda dahil walang ginagawa eh. Puro pag-uusap lang ng problema. ‘Yan ang poblema talaga natin,” Pacquiao added.

(That’s why nothing good comes out of it because nothing is being done. All pure talk, and that’s really our problem.)

KGA