Political opposition is to blame

THE recent Pulse Asia survey on “presidentiables” for the 2022 elections is clear evidence that the political opposition has failed to contribute to the vibrancy of our democracy. It has practically slept on its behind and allowed itself to be reduced to a mere 7.2 percent of the total electorate, the 7 percent being those who indicated their preference for Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo and the 0.2 percent those who preferred retired Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio.

The fate of the political opposition was already written on the wall in the 2019 midterm elections when even its incumbent senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino 4th lost. Now, as they face the 2022 elections, the political opposition is once again seeing the specter of a total wipeout with even incumbent senators Francis Pangilinan and Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros out of the winning circle if elections are held today, according to the Pulse Asia survey.