Mutual admiration

Ruffy Magbanua

PRESIDENTIAL aspirants Davao Mayor Digong Duterte and Sen. Miriam Santiago have one thing in common — both are members of the “Mutual Admiration Club.”

In fact, netizens have coined the  two candidates names as “Duriam,” short for Duterte and Miriam and eventually tagged  them as the “love team” of this year’s national elections.

Sadly, the gestures of love and respect shared by Duterte and Sen. Santiago during the first presidential debate have visibly failed to go viral into the consciousness of the three other “presidentiables” – Secretary Mar  Roxas, Vice President Binay and Sen. Grace Poe.

As the three other candidates traded barbs, Duterte and Santiago complimented each other, and even went as far as praising their  qualifications and characters.

Truly, both Duterte and Santiago have shown the highest degree of professionalism as politicians and leaders of this nation engulfed with decaying moral and leadership crises.

Unknown to many, the two “presidentiables,” pugnacious as ever, shared the same length of understanding the Filipino dream – that of attaining  a sustainable climate of peace, equality and prosperity.

Anchored by these aspirations, both have lodged  the same depth in their respective campaign slogans – to weed out corruption in government, first and foremost.

Of the five “presidentiables,” only Duterte and Santiago are perceived to take on seriously the country’s prevailing national woes — from corruption, crime, insurgency, poverty, drugs, calamities and to the sidelined BBL.

Unfortunately, Santiago may have to considered withdrawing from the presidential race because of her state of health.

For several times over, she had already cancelled some of her campaign sorties to the dismay of many who adored this feisty senator.

If this happens, Sen. Santiago, who is running independent though with a limited alliance with Sen. Bongbong Marcos, may eventually endorse Duterte. With this scenario, Mayor Duterte may further improve his ratings and further gain the upper hand against Sen. Grace Poe, his closest rival in the latest SWS survey.

I, for one, am a silent fan of Sen. Santiago. She will be remembered in Philippine history as a genuine heroine of the Filipino people. A renowned celebrity, Sen.Miriam is a woman of substance and likened to  a rock star, attracting crowds wherever she goes, everywhere, locally and globally.

She is the most sought-after guest speaker because of her eloquence and style of branding herself – unique, prolific and very original. Sen. Santiago is a woman of destiny indeed.

In the local front, Cagayan de Oro mayoral candidates Congressman Rufus Rodriguez, ex-mayor Dongkoy Emano and incumbent Mayor Oca Moreno have been at odds even before the start of the campaign period on March 25, Good Friday, by the Comelec.

Their appearance pictured together during the candidates’ forum and debate held recently appeared too superficial, sending messages to the Cagayan-anon voters that lies and deception loom in the horizon as the local campaign  heats up in this time of the year where temperatures keep on rising due to the onset of summer and the El Nino phenomenon.

Of the three mayoral aspirants, Emano, looking frail  in his limited public appearances, is solely dependent, as told by insiders, on the support of his loyal barangay chairmen.  Like Sen. Santiago, Dongkoy is perceived to slow down during the campaign period because of his weak state of health.

On the other hand, incumbent Mayor Moreno, banking on his performance, although not impressive, grapples in surveys, only next to Congressman Rodriquez as seen in the latest mock elections held in  leading schools in the city.

Rodriguez, trumpeting on his “Heed” (Health, Education, Employment and Dwelling) platform of governance, has offered a clear vision for Cagayan de Oro.

Emano’s program is very traditional, while Moreno, long abandoned by his so-called hapsay supporters, focused on his  modest performance sans the backing of the Emano-led city council.

Notwithstanding some hard  issues hurled against him, Rodriquez may end up the next mayor of this City of Golden Friendship where waste disposals are at a mess, where vehicular traffic is at the highest level of disarray and confusion, where transparency and accountability of public funds are in question and infrastructure development is not comprehensive and inclusive.

Cagay-anons like you and me deserve a tenable and livable city. Vote wisely.

E-mail: ruffy44_ph2000@yahoo.com