Said yes

It was in Cebu where presidential daughter Sara Duterte gave her yes to the possibility to run for the presidency. Her visit was a surprise, at least to most of us. She described her tour around the capitol as full of "pleasantries", saying it was her courtesy call to the governor. Turns out, she did not only visit the governor but also visited some of her friends in other towns. She was asked candidly of her choice for the election and just like any politician who wants to establish a positive rhetoric, she answered that if the people want her to run then she would.

Sara was not the only one who gave her nod to the election. Senator Win Gatchalian who also visited Cebu last week, was caught off-guard when reporters asked him about his plans for the 2022 polls. He said that he is also considering running for vice presidential. Another person who said yes to running was Infrastructure Secretary Mark Villar who cited his fear of losing the job by the end of the term. His intention to continue the "Build, build, build" program of the administration is pushing him to become a legislator.

Why Cebu? Apart from critical journalists who go beyond the usual in asking questions, Cebu is known to be vote-rich. That's almost three million voters that could propel a candidate up to his or her desired post. It is no wonder that they always come to Cebu to do whatever they can just to grab attention. However, pending the filing of certificates of candidacy, I want to give them the benefit of the doubt. It is too early to campaign and not a good time to do so. Politics is very divisive and we don't need that at a time where we need to be united because we are in a pandemic.

I guess we have to expect the volume of national personalities coming to the province to be frequent in the following months. The will to be able to woo the Cebuanos is a plus for them when they finally declare their intention to run. My only wish is that we will not be fooled by glamorous programs and promises left hanging on words. It is so easy to hand out fans, ballers, shirts, and the like just to get the heart of the people.

I have to admit that the next months will be rigorous and scary. How the political landscape will change for Cebu and the country is very exciting. It's either we say yes to a new beginning or yes to the same old tradition that we used to know. With us trying to survive in the middle of a pandemic, it is hard to figure out but we will get there. As for me, I am saying yes to exercising my right to suffrage and making the right choices for my dear home. It is time to do so.