Hot weather, hot races

The campaign for the May 13, 2013 midterm elections, which winds up in a matter of six days competes with the average daily temperature, at 30 degrees Celsius to 33 degrees Celsius. It is scorching hot.

We are quite used to weather that practically sizzles but nowadays the temperature is, in the words of my neighbor, “nagpama-ak” (biting). In the hilly village where we live, it’s no longer enjoyable to walk the ascending and descending trails early morning or late afternoon. The sun is up by 6 a.m. and still out even between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. The strange thing is that even at sundown, the stifling weather continues even until about 7 or 8 in the evening.

Last month, a scientist reported the highest recorded temperature in the Philippines, at 40.1 degrees Celsius in Diffun, Quirino, a province in Northern Luzon. Meanwhile, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) pointed to three hottest areas in the Philippines: Metro Manila, Tuguegarao City in Cagayan and Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, where temperature levels practically boiled between 35.4 degrees Celsius and 37.5 degrees Celsius.

Actually, the actual temperature is said to be hotter in Metro Manila, a place of gnarled concrete highways, tall buildings and thickly populated areas where you could hardly find trees anymore.

The hot weather is enough to drive people crazy so they flock to airconditioned malls, eat halo-halo and drink ice-cold beverages day and night.  The hot weather can also be a bane for candidates. Some can snap over the slightest provocation.

Reelectionist Mayor Michael Rama was reported to have lost his cool late last month, during the Barangay Councilors League of the Philippines (BCLP) convention held in Cebu City. The meeting with thousands of barangay councilors from all over the country would have been opportunity for hizzoner to showcase his performance for the past three years, but it wasn’t meant to be.

The BCLP decided not to allow VIPs to deliver speeches lest they would turn the event into a campaign sortie and run into trouble with the Commission on Elections. But Mike didn’t believe it was the real reason because league president Franklin Ong was a supporter of his rival, Congressman Tommy Osmeña.  The mayor was so pissed off that he allegedly challenged Ong to a fistfight.

Cebu’s gubernatorial and vice gubernatorial races are also hotly contested.  However, it is the battle for the number two post that is getting to be interesting because according to reports, One Cebu candidate Ramon “Buboy” Durano continues to be invisible in the campaign trail. The local party is trying to squelch the rumor by saying he is fit but it is tough to make that assertion when the candidate is hardly visible even in his own backyard, the 5th district.

The vice gubernatorial race could narrow down between Liberal Party (LP) candidate, Acting Gov. Agnes Magpale and Partido ng Masang Pilipino candidate Glen Soco.  He is trying to catch up with Ma’am Agnes but unless One Cebu would shift its support to this gentleman, I don’t think he has a chance.

Magpale must be doing well as interim governor because the only issue that critics and rivals could throw at her direction was the microphone grabbing incident in some local event. Pagkalaay nga isyu, og mao ra nay nadaginot sa kontra.

In Talisay City, the mayoralty race between outgoing 1st district Congressman Eduardo Gullas and LP candidate Johnny de los Reyes, a.k.a. JVR, is shaping up to be the main event in the first district with people always talking about the protagonists and their stance vis-à-vis the closure of the Tabunok terminal and central market. The restoration of the twin facility is the main platform of JVR, and has given him ammunition to fire against Gullas.

To recall, outgoing Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez finally relented and had the old terminal reopened to the public. Still, JVR’s supporters think the move was for election purposes only. Meanwhile, JVR has reportedly gained the support of Cebu City LP leader, Tommy Osmeña.

As we know, Tommy had earlier tangled with Eddiegul on the South Reclamation project. In 2007, Tommy backed ex-Cebu City Councilor Gabby Leyson for mayor of Talisay but he failed because Talisaynons didn’t think he was one of them.

Eddiegul’s influence will help him deal deftly with the popular unrest. But will Osmena’s backing of JVR be a factor in Talisay City’s hotly-contested mayoralty race?