Majority of Filipinos probably won’t admit it but many will be heaving a sigh of relief that the “Ber” months will officially start tomorrow, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024.
In this part of the world, that only means that the protracted celebration of the Christmas season can finally begin.
I may sound glib about it, but I too have been counting the days.
Oh don’t get me wrong. I may like listening to the nostalgic music on the airwaves or admiring the decorations in establishments, but that’s not why I’m excited.
I’m more interested in the developments in local politics in the next few months.
Residents of Cebu City know too well that the mayor they elected into office is currently serving a six-month preventive suspension over the non-payment of regular City Hall employees for several months. And, according to my source, he expects to be served another suspension once this current order expires.
But what happened in Mandaue City last week and over the weekend caught me by surprise.
I had no idea the mayor there was embroiled in any controversy save for the recent brouhaha over the fate of his city treasurer.
Cebu City’s next-door neighbor had successfully stayed out of the limelight considering the former had been hogging the stage for quite some time, which was why the mayor’s one-year suspension was a “where the f—k did that come from” realization.
And over what? The Ombudsman found his designation of the acting head of the City Social Welfare Services Office in 2022 as highly irregular.
But what do I care? I’m a voter of Cebu City. That is why I can’t wait for the filing of the certificates of candidacy in October. I want to know who is running for what position.
Already, Yogi Filemon Ruiz has dropped out of the mayoral race even before the starting gun can even fire.
That leaves the embattled incumbent Mayor Michael Rama and City Councilor Nestor Archival Jr. to fight for the post. That is, if they don’t have a change of heart. As they say, anything can happen between now and then, especially in politics, where the only thing permanent is the politician’s interest.
So there is a big possibility that a new name might yet join the fray.
But local politics is not the only thing I am following closely nowadays. Although I haven’t been watching the recent congressional hearing on the Office of the Vice President’s budget, I do know it has been deferred after Sara Duterte went “ballistic” – their word, not mine – and went after the lawmakers who allegedly wanted to bring her down.
I saw snippets of the exchange and it would appear that the daughter of the former president still believes their family has a continued hold on the country and its public officials. And who could blame her? These were the same people who used to kowtow to their whims and caprices. So much for political loyalty, huh. Or is that an oxymoron?
Let’s face it, folks, we are witnessing the denouement of the Duterte era in real time, which is the fancy way of saying, “karma is real, bia--h.”
But enough of that circus. I also wait for the announcement of the winner of the US presidential election in November with bated breath.
Filipinos, America’s “little brown brother,” should care. We have more at stake if the wrong person emerges as the victor. Although by the looks of it, we are doomed either way.
That’s why we need to forge an independent foreign policy that doesn’t mirror that of the United States, especially when it comes to our fragile relationship with the People’s Republic of China.
Whether we like it or not, our giant neighbor is not going anywhere. So we need to come up with a plan that will result in peaceful coexistence. We need to find a common ground without sacrificing national interest. Okay, so it’s easier said than done, but it’s the only way to go. We cannot pick a battle and expect somebody else to fight it for us.
At the end of the day, every sovereign nation only looks after its own interest, including the US.
Remember the Diem regime in South Vietnam, Saddam Hussein in Iraq and, most recently, the US-backed government in Afghanistan?
Exactly.
With that said, let’s sit back and enjoy the return of Jose Mari Chan. It’s not like we really have a choice on the matter.