LIKE WE TOLD you, everyone is now a youtube or social media star. Deputy Speaker Buhay Partylist Cong. Lito Atienza has started his own show during the lockdown, “Buhay Mahalaga, Facebook Live”, shown Monday to Friday at 2 PM at his own facebook account under his name.
“It’s a natural consequence of my desire to communicate directly with the people about important national issues,” he says in a special meeting with some press people. “It’s a very practical way of reaching out to the public, lalo na ngayon na marami tayong problems because of the virus.
"I really encourage people participation on Facebook to hear out their opinions on current issues. I’m happy kasi encouraging ang response nila, we have about 70 to 80,000 people watching everyday.”
He doesn’t believe in what the government thinks is the solution to the virus: which is a nonstop extension of the lockdown.
“Maraming mayors, gusto nila, basta bawal lumabas ang mga tao. Pero sila mismo, lumalabas. They’re enjoying themselves while the people suffer. Hindi puedeng solusyon yang bawal lumabas, kasi people need to earn a living. Hindi nga sila lumalabas, e kung mamatay naman sila out of desperation and hunger?
“I don’t think the virus will ever disappear. What we should do is teach people to be more responsible in enforcing the safety rules. Kailangang manindigan tayo na labanan ng gobierno ang virus. Kung puro lockdown lang ang gusto nila, that’s a very defeatist attitude.”
He might be accused that his views are anti-government.
“Ever since, kapag may nakikita akong mali, I was never afraid to speak my mind out. Noong panahon ni Marcos, I fought the dictatorship, the military came, I was arrested, natakot ba ako? No, lalo akong lumaban. I don’t just side with anyone. Those politicians who are said to be maka-kaliwa, I always tell them to renounce violence. I don’t believe in any movement that wants to overthrow the government.”
Some people are urging him to run for the senate in 2022.
“Sa totoo lang, I have no plans kasi want to retire na in 2022. By that time, 50 years na ako in public service. I now have 19 grandchildren and one great grandchild. I want to spend more time with my family.”
So who will he support as the next president?
“It’s too early to tell. Marami pang maaaring mangyari. Let’s wait and see. But I have good news for senior citizens. We’ll soon pass a law that says that when they reach 100 years old, bibigyan agad sila ng P1 million. This will encourage their children to take good care of their parents para maging milyonaryo ang family nila.”
What happened to his drama show, "Maynila", on GMA-7?
"We tried taping new episodes para maituloy siya during the lockdown, using our own ingenuity. Ang problema, there were no advertisers, so lagi pa kaming abonado. So I told GMA we will stop for a while at babalik na lang kami later kapag maayos na uli ang lahat.
