I have a strong feeling that Vice Governor Hilario P. Davide, III will be the next congressman to represent the 2nd District of Cebu. As a lawyer, he is not only qualified to serve as a true legislator. He carries the high caliber name of the Davides, the only family in the whole Philippines with two brothers who are Ramon Magsaysay Awardees coming from the remote mountain village of Colawin, Argao.
After the Sinulog, I made sure that I visited Argao, Dalaguete, Alcoy, Boljoon, Oslob, Santander, and Samboan (I coined the name ADABOSS to represent the seven towns of the 2nd District) to feel the pulse of the people. I have a personal affinity with the 2nd District because I was born in Argao, and my ancestors are Argawanons, the Birondo, Aballe, Sarmiento, Sara, Omboy, Caminade, and other family names. I have pleaded personally before my relatives and I have written letters to the others, this time, to choose a truly deserving one.
The seven towns of the 2nd District used to be lumped together with the eight towns of what now belongs to the 7th District, the specific names of which I coined DRAMMBAG or Dumanjug, Ronda, Alcantara, Moalboal, Malabuyoc, Badian, Alegria, and Ginatilan.
But then former congressmen Pablo Garcia and Willy Caminero decided to divide the big kingdom of 15 towns, which I called gerrymandering or Garciamandering and Caminerondeering, which is to make sure they each have a small district to represent in the House of Representatives.
I have my strong reasons why I believe that Vice Governor Junjun will win. Argao has a population of 78,187 as of 2020. By now, it is estimated to have 80,000. As of 2022, it had 55,846 voters or estimated at 60,000 by now. With the support of incumbent mayor Alan Sesaldo, Davide will easily get 40,000 votes or more from the 45 barangays of Argao. In Dalaguete, the second biggest town, Davide will still win 60% of the 50,000 voters (out of 74,596 in 2020 or about 77,000 as of now). If Davide can carry these two huge towns, and he is most likely to, then his victory is in the bag.
Alcoy is a small town with only eight barangays, 19,186 people in 2020, and 14,166 voters. Boljoon is a little bigger with 11 barangays, 17,525 people and only 11,932 voters. Oslob is much bigger with 21 barangays, 29,264 people, and 20,972 voters. Santander is the most promising, albeit down in the southernmost tip of the island but with 10 barangays, 18,527 people, and 13, 255 voters. Samboan, which is the only one facing Negros in the southwestern part, has 15 barangays, 20,373 people, and 13,984 voters. Although his opponent is supported by the governor, Junjun Davide is leading in the independent surveys.
The 2nd District needs a true lawmaker, not a contractor to represent the people. Law-making requires knowledge of the law and the process of legislation. A congressman is not elected to build bridges or to engage in PDAF or interfere in the bidding for infrastructures. A congressman's main job is to create laws to help push the social and economic development of the 2nd District, which is second to the last poorest district in the whole province of Cebu, the seventh being the lowest. It is high time that the people should elect the more deserving, not the more moneyed and more powerful.
There have been many congressmen elected from this district but I do not know of any landmark legislation authored by any representative of the second, except those authored by the late Pabling Garcia and some by Willy Caminero. I have not seen the incumbent congressman in any of the important committee hearings much less in plenary sessions. The 2nd District needs a true legislator and a truly honest man.
I would love to hear Congressman Junjun Davide deliver his maiden privilege speech. I would join Chief Justice Jun Davide and Mrs. Gigi Perez Davide in the gallery. If that happens, then I can say: The 2nd District has finally chosen a well-deserving representative of the people, competent, honest, humble, and hardworking.