NO, I'm not referring to any vacancy possibly occurring in the political hierarchy. What I'm trying to point out is the possible dire consequence or consequences — spelled massive blackouts — of the failure to address the impending expiration of the franchise of the country's biggest power distributor, the Manila Electric Co., or Meralco, in 2028.

For the record, Meralco holds the power distribution franchise for 38 cities and 73 municipalities, including the whole of Metro Manila, where it is the sole electricity distributor, and some parts or the whole of nearby provinces like Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Batangas and Quezon. In Pampanga, Meralco also serves some barangay in Candaba.