[] Most other posts from Cebu candidates show snippets from campaign trail: hand-shaking, hugging old folks or small children, dancing, or looking “pogi” or “gwapa,” or otherwise pitching for the vote. Frequency and number of posts rise as campaign period begins.
Gwen Garcia vs. Pam Baricuatro
Ask which candidates for public office in May have been posting more political messages or ads on social media than most other aspirants. Most likely the answer is: Gwen Garcia, Cebu reelectionist governor, and challenger Pam Baricuatro. At least, in news feeds to people interested in local politics.
It’s almost tit for tat, with Pam complaining after each post from Gwen’s side that it’s picking on “petty things” about her. The allegedly small matters include Pam’s claims regarding her education (”Harvard certificate”), her volunteer organization to help the poor and needy (“dubious”) and even her weight and eyebrows.
But the counterfoil to Pam’s thrusts is provided not directly from Gwen’s political camp but by the vlog of her brother Byron Garcia. Gwen herself has not addressed any of Pam’s posts although they may have influenced the governor’s choice of content.
Governor Gwen has more soc-med accounts to carry her propaganda: Governor’s Office, Sugbo News, and her own account, among others. Hers also has a wider range of subjects and forms, from news of her activities as incumbent governor to her campaigning
in the towns and cities, from style of governance to fashion sense, from snippets on the serious talk about protecting Cebu’s interests to light-hearted dancing and partying on the “Suroy-Suroy” trail.
‘Nosi Ba Lasi’ and near-tears for Digong
In a recent post, Pam Baricuatro sings (probably lip-synched) Sampaguita’s “No Si Balasi (Sino Ba Sila),” which advises not to mind or be offended or bothered by slander (“huwag dibdibin, huwag pansinin”) as long as you believe what you’re doing is right. Apparently in response to the darts thrown at Pam.
Genuine or cringe-worthy, depending upon the viewer’s opinion of Pam, is her tribute to former President Rodrigo Duterte on his 80th birthday Friday, March 28 [2025]. She pleads for the return of “Tatay Digong” to the country from The Hague where he has been detained by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to answer the charge of murders labeled as crime against humanity. She was or looked in near tears. Did she pull it off? See it for yourself as you hum “No Si Balasi” while making judgment.
Why does her camp call Pam, ‘governor’?
It may just be a messaging device, like “Pam Baricuatro for Cebu governor,” minus the preposition “for.” Or it may be a deliberate intention to tease or annoy,or both.
Back in law school, one professor -- not Atty. Aven Piramide, Atty. Chappy’s dad -- would call the roll, prefacing each student’s name with the title “Attorney.”
Addressing the student attorney was being premature, could rate as ridicule, especially if the aspiring lawyer-to-be wasn’t known to respond intelligently to oral quiz on the day’s law or jurisprudence. The professor quipped, “Savor the moment. You might never be called ‘Attorney’ in your life.”
That’s not to say Pam Baricuatro will never be called “governor” after the election. But there’s a good chance she might not be.
In 2019, Guv Gwen beat Agnes Magpale: 887,290 votes against 598,567 (58.51 percent against 39.47 percent). An independent candidate got 30,499 or 2.01 percent. In 2022, the governor flexed stronger muscles and crushed Ace Durano: 1.478,436 votes against 341,455, or 80.80 percent against 18.66 percent.
Pam can’t as “Nosi Ba Lasi” if she’s shown to her face Gwen’s vote-getting record.
Regal Oliva’s point: As sterling material
Easily, the most relevant, current and useful posts in the campaign are the “Regal POVs” (or Points of View) by congressional aspirant Regal Oliva, which tell the former Mandaue City treasurer will make a competent lawmaker who may even put to shame future colleagues in the House.
Oliva’s social media messages don’t say “Vote for me” and don’t specify programs as congresswoman (probably they’re presented in other formats and platforms). But Regal POVs basically persuade the watcher that Oliva will make a whiz of a lawmaker who’ll give the reelectionist competition a run for its money and the people of Mandaue’s lone district their votes’ worth.
Whatever the result of the election, Atty. Regal Oliva, also a celebrity in the lawyers community, can be sterling material as news media commentator.
Tomas cites SRP to remind voters
In one post, Tommy Osmeña, who’s running for vice mayor, opened his stump speech with, “Remember me?” Without waiting for an answer, he said, “SRP.”
A good reminder but also concession to the probability that voters, especially the young ones, may have not known he had served multiple terms as city mayor and one term as House representative.
They might only remember that he and his BOPK lost in the last two elections, 2019 and 2022. After two Mike Rama terms in 2010 and 2013, Tomas won in 2016, followed by one-after-the-other defeats to Edgardo Labella, then, with his wife Margot as surrogate, to Mike Rama.