Today is supposed to be the opening of the campaign season for national candidates, and there are developments aplenty, not least of which concerns a presidentiable still facing disqualification but still has plenty of fight in her.
But first things at the local front: he was supposed to return to office yesterday were it not for the Chinese New Year holiday, but Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama officially resumes his post after a two-month suspension ordered by the Office of the President.
He has yet to deal with the P20,000 calamity aid case, but due to the start of the campaign season, at least on the national level, there is that little election rule that bars the government from suspending an erring official twice.
In that regard, Rama may face whatever penalties that he may incur after the elections in which he may or may not land a third and final term. In the event that he does, the question of whether he will be served another suspension will be answered, which may or may not be small consolation to the other camp.
Regardless, the mayor may or may not be able to secure help from Vice President Jejomar Binay, whose fortunes dipped slightly with Sen. Grace Poe reassuming the lead in the presidential race survey by Pulse Asia.
Whether it was those ads that speak of some followers prediction that Poe will be qualified to run that was seen as encroaching on Supreme Court deliberations on her candidacy or the public sympathy over her foundling status, Pulse Asia said their latest survey showed the first termer lawmaker scoring leads in Luzon, the Visayas and Class D or the masses.
Binay, whose camp claimed that Cebu was “Binay country,” recently forged alliances with the Garcia camp and some smattering of local leaders who predicted that the vice president will win the votes of the Cebuanos.
Regardless, Cebu voters in particular and Filipino voters in general will naturally monitor every rally, pronouncement and statement of these national candidates with marked interest if only to see for themselves what they can offer to the country.
Too bad though that the presidential debates scheduled by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has yet to catch steam with the public who is for now still sizing up who among the presidentiables will be best suited to lead the country in the next six years.
While the local campaign period starts in earnest next month yet, we can expect the local candidates here in Cebu to be actively involved in the sorties of their chosen front runners.
The show has started and it’s best for the public to look beyond the rhetoric, the sound bites and the colorful verbal harangues in choosing the next leaders.
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