A POINTLESS if interesting feature lately is the “Compare Bam with Gwen” game, which pits the assets and accomplishments of one woman governor against another.
Not of much help to constituents who voted out the multiple-term leader presumably for a change, a “fresh vision” and necessarily different strategy and style.
And too soon for comparing hits and misses. The May 8, 2028 race is 756 days away from today, April 13, 2026.
Could be comparing an apple from a pomelo: Gwen had served five terms as governor (2004-2013, then 2019-2025). Pam still has to complete this June 30 her first year in office.
Silly? Yet Guv Pam has herself to blame too.
Her main campaign pitch was she could do better than ex-guv Gwen. And she has kept at it even after she was installed at the Capitol, when she ceased making victory (“300,000-vote lead”) statements.
Harping on it, with her dance moves synced to the sound of “Ale” (especially “beep-beep” and “saksakan nang ganda”) in Facebook reels, Pam struck at Gwen’s competitive spirit. That must have stung, deeply.
Aside from collateral benefit on entertainment, the Pam-Gwen rivalry could prod the sitting governor to do better beyond regular capacity. Unless it would but would not alter results in governance.
Trust attraction to the game – by the protagonists and their audience -- to wear off though. But without necessarily ending the skirmishes.
Social media creative people and equipment apparently have been signed up by each side to keep the flak flying.
PROOF OF LIFE, apparently shown by President Marcos Jr.’s recent appearances at functions, but not PROOF OF HEALTH, which still has to be presented by medical experts.
HE IS “definitely well” (“nasa mabuting kalangtanan”), the President said in a video interview. He has no problem with his health, PBBM said.
Good, say critics, but why cannot doctors certify to that and answer questions about his fitness to serve?
Without that, the public will continue to speculate. Even as Malacañang will keep on dodging the health issue, as his father Marcos Sr., Rodrigo Duterte and other leaders here and abroad, such as People’s Republic of China’s Mao Zedong (aka Chairman Mao), did in their time.
“HOW-ABOUTISM” bugs move to impeach VP Sara. Anti-impeachment arguments include:
They’d impeach her, even if the move is mainly political, which is to take her out of the presidential race in 2028?
They’d make her account for alleged corruption as VP and secretary of education. What about President BBM’s alleged corruption, which is even allegedly several times larger in scale?
The legal system does not rule out a measure of accountability against a public official just because it would benefit some family or party interest, or there are other officials still not brought to account -- or the nation faces bigger crises.
Governments multi-task or fail in keeping their institutions alive.