Flipping 2022

THE names that are cropping from Mindanao assure a breakup of the stranglehold of the Dutertes in Mindanao. There is the national icon and favorite son of Mindanao, Manny Pacquiao, who has expressed his intentions for 2022 in clear and certain terms. The former speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has launched his “In Search of a Leader, 2022” via voters’ fora and meetups. Alvarez is said to be preparing for a shadow boxing if and when Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio makes a serious bid. Then, there is the nationally televised float by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on his longtime aide, Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go. The float was strategically made, and it came after a series of offensives in the National Capital Region with tarpaulins egging the mayor from Davao City to run.

Why is Mindanao important to anyone from the island? Simple, because it represents only 23 percent of the total registered voters (TRV) in the country. If a candidate is targeting 51 percent, which is majority of the TRV, she or he would need to get the Visayas at 21 percent. Still, one would be short of 6 percent. Luzon stands at 56 percent of the TRV, and everyone planning for 2022 has to reckon the power of Luzon. Twelve of the country’s 16 presidents have been from Luzon. Seven of the Top 10 vote-rich provinces are in Luzon.