“Let’s put the rancor behind us… Let’s unify; let us focus on the work in front of us…” That’s how Vice President Leni Robredo welcomed the unanimous decision of the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) dismissing former Sen. Bongbong Marcos’ election protest lodged against her. We trust that this will now put the issue to rest and allow the Vice President to concentrate on her job as the duly elected VP of our country. Her victory has virtually made Robredo the undisputed leader of the opposition and a viable alternative to the ruling administration.
Since the Commonwealth Government in 1935, there have been 14 persons who have served as Vice Presidents of the Philippines. They were: Sergio Osmeña Sr., Elpidio Quirino, Fernando Lopez (under Quirino and Ferdinand Marcos), Carlos P. Garcia, Diosdado P. Macapagal, Emmanuel Pelaez, Salvador H. Laurel, Joseph Estrada, Gloria M. Arroyo, Teofisto Guingona, Noli de Castro, Jejomar C. Binay and Leni Robredo. Four Vice Presidents, to wit: Osmeña, Quirino, Garcia and Arroyo succeeded their Presidents who either died or considered resigned from office. However, Quirino, Garcia and Arroyo were elected into the office of the Presidency after completing the unfinished term of their immediate predecessors. Osmeña, Laurel and Binay ran for President but they were repudiated at the polls.
Our presidents hailed from different parts of the Philippines. The most prolific region is Central Luzon, which has produced six presidents —Ramon Magsaysay of Zambales, the father-and-daughter presidents, Diosdado and Gloria, the mother-and-son presidents, Cory and PNoy and Fidel Ramos. Visayas has contributed Osmeña, Manuel A. Roxas and Garcia. Two presidents hailed from Ilocos, namely: Quirino and Marcos. Southern Tagalog and NCR have given us one each: Manuel L. Quezon who originally hailed from Tayabas (now Quezon) and Erap Estrada from NCR. I excluded Jose P. Laurel from Batangas who served as the President of the Japanese Puppet Government. President Duterte is a proud son of Mindanao and definitely he will not be the first and the last Mindanawon President of our country.
One region that has not produced a president is Bicol. It comprises six provinces—Camarines Sur (the largest), Albay, Camarines Norte, Sorsogon, Masbate and Catanduanes. It is the fourth largest ethnolinguistic group in our country. Based on the 2019 elections data, Bicolandia has a total voting population of 3.6 million voters, or 5.9 percent of the total voters of the Philippines. It’s the 6th largest region in the Philippines in terms of voting population. Only Calabarzon, NCR, Central Luzon, Central Visayas and Western Visayas have a bigger number of voters. It’s larger than Ilocos, Eastern Visayas, Davao and the rest. Admittedly, the regional base of the candidate is not determinant of election results. Calabarzon and NCR, the first and second largest regions in terms of number of voters have only produced one President each. The Ilocos Region, with its much-vaunted “solid north” has produced three presidents—Quirino, Marcos and Ramos, if we stretch it to Pangasinan.
Bicol with a capable candidate can take control of Malacañang. The last presidential contender from the region was the late Senator Raul Roco. He had the intellect, stature and integrity but he was too independent and uncompromising to gain popular support. Moreover, he was already seriously ill on his second attempt for the presidency and this was known to the public during the campaign. In the past, there were other prominent Bicolano politicians who had played prominent roles in national politics like Tecla San Andres-Ziga and her son, Victor, Francisco Tatad, Edmundo Cea, Emilio Espinosa, Eddie Ilarde and Joker Arroyo, all former senators of our Republic. However, none of them had become a presidential timber. The other current crop of Bicolano leaders with national followings like Lilia de Lima, Francis Escudero, Antonio Trillanes and Gregorio Honasan still lack the stature to launch a serious bid. In the 2016 presidential derby, Bicol delivered 889,441 votes to Roxas, edging Duterte who only received 347,729 votes. It’s the biggest lead posted by Roxas over Duterte outside of the former’s home region of Western Visayas and Negros Island.
Robredo won 63.88 percent of the votes cast in Bicol when she ran for VP in 2016. She led overwhelmingly in all provinces of Bicol except in Sorsogon, the home province of Francis Escudero. Two other VP contenders also hailed from Bicol, Gregorio Honasan and Antonio Trillanes, which further trimmed Robredo’s winning margin. All four Bicolano VP candidates are of national renown and favorite natives of Bicol with die-hard followers among the Bicolanos. Robredo should consolidate the Bicol votes to give her a solid boost if ever she decides to seek the presidency in 2022. Another factor in Robredo’s favor is her gender. Female voters outnumber males by close to 2 million. The drive for gender equality has made women power a formidable force in every election. While the US is still scrambling to elect its first female president, our young country has already elected two since 1986.
The Bicolano cuisine is noted for using siling labuyo and coconut milk, which are common ingredients in their recipes. They venerate the Our Lady of Peñafrancia, the Patroness of Bicol. Bicolanos are religious people. When they join the grand fluvial procession on the feast day of the Virgin in Naga River this year, Bicolanos should make extra prayers for the Virgin to anoint their favorite daughter, Robredo, and bless her presidential quest. The people of the place are known for being gutsy or “uragon.” Bicolanos should prove their mettle and install Robredo as the next tenant in Malacañang come 2022. Robredo has been called derogatory names by the President and her critics. But to her adulating fellow Bicolanos, they will love to call her “The next President of the Philippines.” Viva La Virgen!
2 comments
i am not a bicolano. for me the greatest bicolano contender for 2022 presidency is JOEY SALCEDA. he is academically prepared and has vast experiences: served as presidential chief of staff, governor of albay, congressman of the 2nd district of albay. being articulate, he can easily convey his thoughts to others. he is a trained economist who can steer the country progressively. he has no excess baggage and has not been involved in any scandal. he is a sincere person, as many would agree.
Joey Salceda, the Certified political butterfly who got famous for his one hell of a lucky bitch comment! Aba mag isip isp ka muna sa pinag sasasabi mo