The "Republic" of Cebu  

There are 17 of us travelling from Washington, D.C. to Orlando, Florida, and while 10 of us were at the Dulles International Airport (five were at the Reagan Airport and two at the Thurgood Marshall Airport) executive lounge, the Filipino members of our team joked that I am not a Filipino but a Bisaya and I come from the Republic of Cebu. Well, they were monitoring Governor Gwen's assertion of local autonomy. They were asking me why Cebu is trying to have its own laws. They got a two-hour lecture from me on political law.

I explained to them that Governor Gwen is right and the DILG and DOH secretaries are wrong. First of all, the governor is backed up by a Provincial Board ordinance. Second, her action is based on the Local Government Code. Third, she is not mandating but giving the Cebuanos the option to wear or not to wear. Fourth, it covers only open spaces. Fifth, the IATF resolution isn’t a law. Sixth, the policemen cannot apprehend Cebuanos with no face masks in open spaces because there is no law passed by Congress that defines not wearing masks as a felony, much less imposing penal sanction. Seventh, the governor is acting in good faith. She wants to protect Cebuanos from illegal exaction from wayward police personnel who might demand fines and pocket the money. Of course, I told them no Cebuano policemen would be that dishonest.

As to Cebu being a "republic", I told my fellow Filipinos who were from Manila, Pampanga, Bicol, and Ilocos that Cebu was already Christianized as early as 1521. People from Manila knew how to pray Padre Nuestro only in 1565. Cebuanos were ahead by 44 years. The oldest street, Colon, named in honor of Christopher Columbus, is located in the Queen City of the South. The first Baptism was solemnized here in Cebu. The first religious image was brought to Cebu, the Santo Niño, which is still venerated by Catholics all over the Philippines. And speaking of Visayas, the first treaty entered into by an Asian country with the Western World was executed in Bohol between Rajah Sikatuna and Miguel Lopez de Legaspi in 1565.

I also reminded my Filipino friends from Luzon, that the heroes from the north were all killed by the enemy or by fellow Filipinos. Rizal was executed by the Spaniards, Bonifacio was murdered by the Magdalos, the same was true for General Antonio Luna in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija. General Gregorio del Pilar was killed by the Americans in Tirad Pass. All their heroes were killed. The hero from Cebu was the one who killed the Portuguese invader who colonized our country in the name of the King of Spain. That is why Cebuanos have that spirit of independence. They cannot just be dictated by ivory tower bureaucrats whose tenure of office will soon expire. They don’t have a mandate from the people.

Our governor was elected by more than 1.4 million Cebuano voters constituting 82% of the total votes cast. She is the first female governor of Cebu, and the first one elected five times. No other governor achieved that feat, not even Don Sergio Osmeña or Serging, not even Don Mariano Jesus Cuenco. She defeated a former Cabinet member belonging to a wealthier, more entrenched political dynasty. She won in all towns and in all districts, including all islands. She earned her authority from the people. The bureaucrats in Imperial Manila have never been elected as barangay kagawad. These ivory towers "little Indians" got their power as alter ego of a lame duck chief executive.

My friends could not say a word. And they never talked to me until we landed in Orlando, Florida. They should never underestimate Cebu again or any Cebuano for that matter.