A Cebuana for senator

This bit of data should jolt the female sector of our society, particularly those whose focus is on equal rights, equal opportunities for those who comprise approximately 51 percent of our country’s population: in its 96 years of existence, the Senate has had only 17 women who have graced its halls as elected senators. Rather shocking isn’t it? 

Geronima Pecson holds the distinction of being the first female senator when she was elected in 1947. Pacita Madrigal Gonzales followed her in 1955, Tecla San Andres Ziga in 1963, Maria Kalaw Katigbak in 1961, Eva Estrada Kalaw in 1965 and Helena C. Benitez and Magnolia W. Antonino in 1967.

The others were Leticia Shahani and Santanina Rasul in 1987, Nikki Coseteng and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 1992, Miriam Defensor Santiago in 1995, Tessie Aquino Oreta and Loren Legarda in 1998, Loi Ejercito Estrada in 2001 and Jamby Madrigal and Pia Cayetano in 2004. Miriam, Loren and Pia are the only women senators today.

Of the 17, only Antonino and Rasul come from Mindanao while Santiago is the sole Visayan woman to ever become a senator. The rest are from Luzon.

In next year’s mid-term elections, the women who are in the senatorial slates of the United Nationalist Alliance, the Liberal Party and the Nacionalista Party are reelectionist Senator Legarda, Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia, Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay, and former Reps. Riza Hontiveros Baraquel and Cynthia Villar. Other women listed in surveys as possible senatorial candidates are former Sen. Jamby Madrigal, Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos Recto, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos and Grace Poe Llamanzares, head of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).

Of all the names (including the men) being mentioned as candidates for senator, only Governor Gwen represents the Visayas. And with the region having some 10.29 million registered voters as of the May 2010 elections, this should give her a big built-in advantage. Cebu province alone has some 2.5 million registered voters as of last year, making it No. 1 in terms of voting strength among the 80 provinces in the country. But her immediate political base is not limited to Cebu because she served as consultant on economic development of Ormoc City in Leyte from 1982 to 1996. After that, she became chairperson of the Leyte Cooperative Bank from 1996 to 1998. Note that as of 2010, Leyte has almost 1.03 million voters.

The Central Visayas, to which Cebu belongs and where Governor Gwen is reportedly a popular figure, has a voting population of 3.92 million. It ranks among No. 5 among the 17 regions in the country as far as number of voters is concerned.

On top of these, there is a strong presence of Cebuanos and Visayans in Mindanao which has a voting population of 12.06 million.

Taken together, the Visayas and Mindanao have a combined voting strength of some 22.36 million, representing close to 44 percent of the reported 51.31 million registered voters in the 2010 elections. By any reckoning, this figure represents a huge political base for any candidate, especially for Governor Gwen who, from reports, has an established track record in those areas of being a no-nonsense hard worker and an achiever.

Attributed to her is the fact that Cebu has become the richest and the No. 1 province in the country in terms of financial performance. As of 2010, its assets already totaled P28.6 billion, with no debt. It is said that she achieved this by pursuing an active policy of partnership with the business sector that greatly enhanced the economic environment in the province. Thus, in 2008 or just four years after she became governor, Cebu was chosen by the Institute for Solidarity in Asia as one of the “four best Local Government Units (LGUs) for investment in the Philippines.” In 2009, the province was also cited in the Trade & Investment Opportunities (TIOS) ASEAN, a biennial investment reference book that has a wide readership throughout the ASEAN region.

The highly successful tourism program that she implemented also drew recognition from her peers in the region. She was chosen as leader of the East Asia Tourism Forum during the 10th meeting of the organization in September 2009. Thereafter, Cebu was picked as host to some 500 foreign delegates to the 12th meeting of the EATOF in September 2011. The EATOF is composed of member provinces from the Philippines, Russia, China, Japan, Laos, South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Mongolia and Indonesia.

Aware that no progress comes where crime and trouble reign, Gwen has taken a strong stand against criminality and insurgency, making Cebu a peaceful province.

The main driver of Gwen’s social and economic development plan for the province is her ONE CEBU program which stands for Obra Negosyo Eskwela Countryside Enterprise Business Upliftment which is self-explanatory. This program, she says, is the real reason why Cebu continues to be going strong. Or should we say, GWEN strong?   –Domini M. Torrevillas (The Philippine Star)