First things first. Our cheers to Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz of Zamboanga City for bagging the first-ever gold for our country after 97 years. The Philippines first participated in the Olympics in Paris 1924.

Diaz’s certainly deserves all the monetary and material rewards she received following her Olympic feat considering her decades of sacrifices in life just to reach the highest ladder of success in sports.

Megaworld has gifted her with a posh condominium located at the Eastwood City in Quezon City. Take it from me, Eastwood City is truly a wow destination for leisure and relaxation. My favorite place when I worked for former MMDA Chair Bayani Fernando.

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Another breaking story recently was the validity of residency of a Negrense becoming a Bacoleño. Businessman Albee Benitez is now a valid resident of Bacolod City, a matter that some parties attempted to raise a point to disqualify him. Why point the finger on him alone, many were asking.

It is believed that provincial residents have even migrated to this Sugar City and transferred their voting rights upon alleged persuasion of political buddies. Well, many said, this gets unnoticed because they are not threats, rather they help some candidates earn more votes. Many of these promdis are now the illegal settlers and mostly are trisikad drivers, vegetable vendors, sidewalk vendors, watch-your-car boys, to name a few.

So what’s the fuss about one individual moving to a highly-urbanized city?

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With the win of weightlifter Diaz, it came to be known that the president of the country’s weightlifting association is a Bacoleño and a former city mayor. He is also now the spokesman of Sen. Manny Pacquiao who is attempting to vie for the highest political position of the land. Coffee drinkers are now amused since the incumbent city dad seems to be close to the boxing hero while the former city dad and the incumbent are erstwhile rivals in all angles of their lives, personal and otherwise.

“How can the incumbent now go near the boxer,” asked a sportsman. So the former city dad has a weightlifter hero and a boxing hero to his own side of glory.

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“Change is coming.” This is the cry of the residents of the Sugar City as a challenger is now ready to face the game in the city. The challenger is known to be a “heavyweight” opponent on the angles of political clout, business influence and the unlimited resources required of to win a political battle. There are sectors that clamor for change as the seated one had too long been in governance with the alleged lack of expected performance and service, as the residents believe.

“Any change is better as long as there is change. Give change a chance for the city to see a better life,” said an educated market store owner.

“Our public market has remained stinking and dirty for decades and people buy food in this market,” she disappointingly added.

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“While there is a clamor for change, it must be taken note that there are also sectors that do not want change. Probably some sectors have been seemingly hypnotized as they are getting the fringe benefits to violate the laws of the land and they like it that way. Drivers do not get penalized for road violations, illegal vendors are not reprimanded, garbage is just on the road for days, governance is simply taken for granted, the private sector is not involved in community activities, government services are kept secret, and more,” expressed a political marketing strategist.

“Take note that shaking of hands and being welcomed by barangay leaders are not yet a guarantee of change of their minds. There is more to that,” the strategist concluded.

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This article greets Elsie Gonzaga, Art Colmedora, Frank Carbon, Ben Lopez Jr., Richard Oquendo, Neel Abordaje, Alvin Rongo, Blaire Ejercito, Millie Gonzaga, Butchoy Uy, Philip Lacson, Noel Jimenez, Raymond Dabao, Tony Agustin, Anthony Visitacion, Dhadha Garcia, Myka Pahilanga, and Rabby Nuevo./WDJ