Just like cold

Ben Contreras

HOME at last!

The first thing to greet me when I checked Facebook for news was about Gwen Garcia dropping UNA in favor of Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

Four days and five nights in Cebu gave us plenty of occasions to take the taxi rides. All, except one, are for Duterte. In malls, guards and sales attendants are also unanimous for Duterte. Duterte is like cold, a lot are catching it.

The hotel where we were staying is peppered with Duterte posters. The Cebuanos seem to be saying, “Bisaya na pud” and this slogan resonates all over Cebu.

The presidency is already a given. The guessing game is in the vice presidency. If it’s fun in the Philippines, it’s more fun in the fight for the second highest seat of the land.

Having watched the last VP debate which was better than the presidential debate, my vote goes either to Cayetano and Robredo. Although we root for Cayetano, Robredo is certainly a good second choice.

Marcos is feared by many, a stigma brought about by his father, history and the alleged brutality of the regime. While I may agree with them, those who fear him, let us also examine if the things the Marcoses are accused of doing have ceased to happen after Edsa I. Unfortunately, they didn’t but continue with impunity.

Thus, the generation of today simply cannot understand what the Marcoses are being accused of and are not happening today.

I, for one, was also disappointed of the administrations that followed after the revolution.

Duterte’s charisma is not just about what he has done for Davao. It is more on the clamor for drastic change by the people who felt evil is winning against good.

Of course, Duterte may have his own skeletons in the closet. He is no saint either. But it is his steely resolve to do things without fear of consequence that attracted those who are dismayed of the present and past leaders.

Davao may not really be heaven or paradise to some. But comparatively speaking, Davao City is far better than the others.

Mar Roxas’s gateway to Malacañang can only be through “hocus-PCOS.” He’s not even PNoy’s candidate by heart. Grace Poe is, just as many suspected, just as Cebuanos are saying. And Cebuanos are also saying that Jejomar Binay is over!

It’s now a toss between Duterte and Poe. Some claim Poe’s rating is being bloated in the surveys. Duterte’s rating comes from the hearts of the people who go to his rallies in huge numbers.

Oh, yes, a political pundit in Cebu has this interesting thing to say: the Duterte-Poe fight is really China versus the United States. How interesting, indeed!

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The Bureau of Customs is an institution where the corrupt lords it over the few honest, if there is indeed honest people inside. An experienced businessman has interesting stories to tell, especially about rice importation.

I will dwell on it in my next column.