Are we seeing the writing on the wall?

"President Duterte called the senator “Presidente” during a public event over the weekend."

How swiftly time flies, indeed.

On May 9th, 2022, exactly 14 months from today, we will have the responsibility of choosing the next President who will lead us through the end of the pandemic crisis and, eventually, economic recovery.

President Duterte may have given a hint as to his bet.

That’s after the President caused a stir yet again when he called Sen. Bong Go “Presidente,” as he recognized the lawmaker’s presence during a speech in Cagayan de Oro last weekend.

Digong went on to tease Go to stand again and wave to the crowd, “Let’s see how good you look as President” in Visayan dialect.

The senator instead gestured humbly to the roused audience to disregard the suggestion.

As expected, the “presidential tagging” drew a deluge of diverse reactions including cheers and jeers, particularly on social media. 

It came weeks after Digong ruled out a presidential bid for daughter Inday Sara, currently Davao City Mayor and consistent front-runner in various surveys.

Inday Sara herself has vehemently denied any intent to vie for the presidency, and has appealed to her ardent supporters to deter from publicly campaigning to get her to run.

She has been the subject of a smear campaign, blaming her for the proliferation of Run-Sara-Run tarpaulins in Manila.  It didn't quite work.

Sen. Go, who has also been among the top picks for the presidency, has likewise denied any desire to succeed Digong.

Go, who will have served just the first half of his six-year senatorial term in 2022, has just led the opening of the 102nd Malasakit Center at the Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center in Angeles City, Pampanga.

There was nothing like it in the previous administrations when poor people had to go through agonizing red tapes to receive benefits or seek assistance at PhilHealth, PCSO and other government agencies. 

It may not have been a formal endorsement but what Digong just did, picking on his Special Assistant of 21 years since he was Davao City mayor, to me was a signal of his desired candidate for the 2022 presidential election.

However if Go decides not to run for the presidency – it may be too early for him according to some sources – the administration has a lot candidates to field who are mostly its allies such as Bongbong Marcos, who could have been our vice president. There are also Manny Pacquiao and Isko Moreno.

All of the names above are sure winners. Therefore, the Filipinos will still be in good hands even after Duterte steps down in 2022.