MINERVA BC NEWMAN
CEBU CITY – “I am officially the governor of Cebu!” Declared Pamela Baricuatro right after COMELEC officially proclaimed her as the 25th Governor of Cebu Province at exactly 3:26 PM at the Cebu Capitol Social Hall, having won this year’s gubernatorial race with 1,107,924 votes, marking a significant shift in Cebu province politics and succeeding Gwendolyn Garcia who served as a governor from 2004 to 2013 and reelected in 2019.
Baricuatro, a lawyer and retired flight attendant of Cathay Pacific ran under the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) and was endorsed by former President Rodrigo Duterte. She credited Duterte’s endorsement has greatly helped in her victory.
“Words can’t describe how happy I am right now. It’s a joy that comes from the heart — it’s because of you, true Cebuanos who never left and stood up despite pain, fatigue, and all the dirt played by the other party. If it wasn’t for your support, love, and belief in me, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” Baricuatro said, in her Facebook post after her tension-filled proclamation.
In an interview with this writer while waiting for her proclamation, Baricuatro expressed overwhelming surprise at winning the election as an underdog, having not expected to reach the number of votes she did. She discussed the ongoing proclamation process, urging patience to avoid trouble and emphasizing the need for healing.
The tension-filled proclamation stemmed from the delays in the transmission of the last ballot returns from one precinct in Pinamungajan town when an automatic counting machine bogged down. COMELEC-Cebu Marchel Sarno explained that they can only proclaim the winners when election returns from the 3,080 precincts in Cebu have been 100 percent delivered to the canvassing center.
This prompted Baricuatro’s legal team to propose for the proclamation saying that the remaining unread ballots can no longer affect the winning lead of Baricuatro against Gracia’s votes. However, as the board of Canvassers awaited the ballots, an individual inside the Social Hall reportedly filed a petition for disqualification against Baricutro’s proclamation, which COMELEC said it has not received the petition document. Thus, COMELEC finally decided to proclaim Baricuatro.
Post-election reflections
Baricuatro told this writer that the responsibility that comes with winning and the importance of taking the process seriously means staying stress-free; prepare for the proclamation process, focus on healing and responsibility to start the ground works for the first 100 days in office as the Governor of Cebu.
“Responsibility and healing are needed both personally and for the community. I am still apprehensive indicating a transition of power and I reflect on the last-ditch efforts to prevent my victory and the seriousness of the responsibility we now have,” the new governor said.
Baricuatro expressed gratitude to voters and supporters, including former President Rodrigo Duterte, who endorsed her candidacy. She emphasized the need for unity and healing in Cebu Province.
As a political newbie, Baricuatro acknowledged the challenge of working with a council not aligned with her party, emphasizing her willingness to collaborate for the province’s progress. She said, her primary projects include improving the healthcare system in Cebu, addressing access to healthcare and hospital concerns.
“This victory, is not mine alone. This is a victory for each of you who believes that true, just, and faithful service will still win. It’s a win in Cebu. What we are going through is not that deep. More testing, more sabotaging. But you have shown that if Cebuanos unite with courage and love for change, nothing is impossible. You guys are the real strength of my journey,” Baricuatro stated.
