Salceda: No anomaly in electoral process

By Zyra Ponce

Reelected Albay 2nd District Representative Joey Salceda, one of the major backers of Vice President Leni Robredo in the recently concluded presidential election, in his facebook post on Wednesday, May 11, said he saw no anomaly in the electoral process and that the Marcos camp was just ahead in convincing the voters.

Salceda said he and Robredo talked over the phone on May 10 where “she thanked me for all the work in Albay and my help elsewhere in the country.

“Nagusap kami about the national results. In essence, I explained that we were up against a restoration effort that was ongoing since 1992. And a low intensity yet pervasive social marketing since 2010,” Salceda narrated, adding “She understood my analysis. But she also knows her duty to her supporters, many of whom were heavily emotionally invested in her. ‘Pakalmahin ko muna high emotions.’ Sabi ko take your time, may important role ka in building the nation. “

He said “Leni came out of our conversation to be humble to the bones with only the nation’s interest is in her heart. Kalmado siya, not one iota of regret, enmity, or resentment. There is no doubt that she is guided by one moral compass- her duty to the nation. But given her supreme moral standing, it was not for me to even suggest a concession.”

He further said: “Pero kahit sino manalo, malaki ang problema ng bansa - globally the economy is slowing due to Covid debt scars while commodity prices are rising due to supply chain and production issues due to Russia - Ukraine. We need all hands on the paddle to get the canoe out of the storm.”

“With P12 trillion debt overhang, the first best strategic way out of the national problem is focus the limited budget on agriculture (contain inflation) and social services (safety nets) and get growth (GDP) from foreign investments. She would have been best suited since foreign investors trusted her but BBM’s 56% is the highest mandate in 53 years and can also be mobilized for smart policies to offset foreign investors’ concerns about him and his father’s rule,” the Albay lawmaker, who is an economist, said.