Top competitive cities are opposition territories

It cannot be a mere coincidence that Manila, Makati, and Cebu, the first, second, and third most competitive cities in the country, respectively, are all in the hands of opposition chief  executives of local government units. Manila has former President Joseph Estrada as city mayor. The Liberal Party tried to oust him by filing a disqualification case before the Supreme Court, in view of his conviction by the impeachment court. But the high court decided in his favor. Manila is gradually regaining its status as the premier city in economy, politics, culture and arts.

The mayor of Makati, Junjun Binay, has been suspended by the Ombudsman the second time around. In the first attempt, the Court of Appeals granted Binay's petition and the staus quo was maintained for a while. But a second suspension has not been enjoined by the appellate court. The vice mayor assumed the position and that was very strategic because the weakening of the Binays in Makati did not only hurt the mayor but, most of all, weakens the vice president who has been topping all opinion polls, until Senator Grace Poe overtook him.

Cebu City, in the hands of Mayor Michael L Rama has been chosen as third among the whole country's most competitive cities, besting Quezon City, a Liberal Party bailiwick, and Davao City, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte's showcase LGU, where he proved his excellence in local governance. Cebu City has also beaten Cagayan de Oro City, and Parañaque City, where the international airport is located and where this writer resides. Parañaque City is also in the hands of the opposition. It would appear then that the opposition seems to be better local executives.

Cebu City is number three nationwide, while LP's bastion, Iloilo City is only number ten. Iloilo, the home city of both Senate President Franklin Drilon and Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, has been favored by this LP-controlled administration with much bigger budgetary allocations, with a world class convention center, airport, and the upgrading of all national highways and other infrastructures. Its river has been rehabilitated, spending billions of public funds. Cebu has not been favored in the same manner nor to the same extent.

There is no competitive city in Central Luzon where the last two presidents, including the incumbent come from. There is no competitive city in the entire Bicol region, not even Naga, which was much publicized as having been transformed by the late Jesse Robredo. Only Cebu and Iloilo are competitive in the entire Visayas. Roxas city is not. Bacolod is not. Dumaguete is not. Tagbilaran, Tacloban, Ormoc, and Catbalogan are not. And Cebu is number three. This is a signal honor that all Cebuanos should be proud of.

This happy development may be an indicator of things to come. The voters in 2016 cannot just overlook the fact that the opposition Mayors are performing much more and much better than the administration-affiliated local executives. This is more significant if we think that the choices of the most competitive cities were made by the LP controlled administration. Nobody can argue against success. Politics or no politics. And the people are not blind to all these. Voters may be silly at times, but they are not stupid.