By Alex P. Vidal
“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies.” — Ernest Benn
IF Iloilo Governor Arthur “Toto” Defensor Jr. is facing a stronger opponent in the May 12, 2025 midterm elections, he will not dare endorsing candidates running for other local positions outside Iloilo Province.
He will think about the saying “mind your own business.”
But because Defensor Jr. felt he could easily put away his only rival, independent candidate Mary Frances Chloe Noble of Barangay Baybay Sur, Miag-ao, Iloilo, he didn’t hesitate to endorse Iloilo City Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon, who is running for reelection.
As official candidate of the administration’s Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) and backed by some of the province’s influential politicians, Defensor Jr. is considered “safe”; his reelection for third and final term is almost in the bag.
At the back of his mind, Defensor Jr., with his open endorsement of Ganzon, has nothing to lose even if he would infuriate the camp of Iloilo City vice mayoral candidate Love Baronda, Ganzon’s rival.
If his endorsement wasn’t sought (because, in the first place, it isn’t necessary), the least Defensor Jr. could have done was “not to interfere” with Iloilo City politics.
Politics for Defensor Jr. is not addition but act of hubris.
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Defensor Jr. had exhorted residents of Iloilo Province “with relatives in Iloilo City to tell your friends and relatives to vote for Vice Mayor (Jeffrey) Ganzon.”
No one knows why Defensor Jr. would go to the extent of ingratiating himself with Ganzon and antagonizing the Barondas when he has nothing to do whatsoever with Iloilo City politics.
Would Defensor Jr. belabor himself endorsing Ganzon in Iloilo City if in his own turf he was facing a gubernatorial challenge from the titanic political clans of Garin, Tupas, Biron and his reelection bid in Iloilo Province in peril?
Interestingly, Defensor Jr. didn’t endorse Ganzon’s running mate, mayoral candidate Raisa Trenas-Chu, who is running against independent candidate Roland Magahin.
Did the governor feel there was no need for him to endorse Trenas-Chu since, anyway, she is running against Iloilo Province’s version of Mary Frances Chloe Noble?
Now, even if Baronda will retaliate by telling Iloilo City residents “with relatives in Iloilo Province to vote for 28-year-old Mary Frances Chloe Noble” against Defensor Jr., it won’t be enough to dent Defensor Jr.’s reelection bid since Noble, unknown and not supported by a strong political party, isn’t expected to give Defensor Jr. a serious trouble unlike the “close” rivalry between Ganzon and Baronda.
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WEIRD BUT TRUE TURN-ON. Our armpits are full of sensitive nerve endings that can send feel-good shivers down our spine. But it creeps some people out. (Source: Rachael Ross, MD, PhD)
10 SUPER SNEAKY WEIGHT-LOSS SECRETS: 1. Never food-shop without gum 2. Ditch your Tupperware 3. Give your guy the first bite 4. Sip from only one type of glass 5. Dish it out 6. Eat after happy hour 7. End your workout with protein 8. Love pretzels 9. Lose the serving dishes 10. Drink after-dinner coffee (Sources: Cornwell University Food and Brand Lab; Nutrition and Metabolism Specialist Jana Klauer, M.D.)
EIGHT THINGS GUYS NOTICE ABOUT LADIES INSTANTLY: 1. How thick their hair is 2. If their smile is genuine 3. The size of their group 4. The pitch of their voice 5. Their hip-to-waist ratio 6. Their glowiness 7. What’s fake about them 8. Their eyes (Source: Daniel Amen, MD, author of The Brain and Love)
SIX WORST THINGS A LADY CAN SAY TO A GUY: 1. You’re so much better than all the other jerks I’ve dated 2. Can you really afford that? 3. So we’re running a little late. Relax 4. He’s a great guy–you should be friends with him 5. She made me promise not to tell, but…6. Don’t be silly–I haven’t done that in ages (Source: Cosmopolitan)
SOME PRESIDENTS ARE BRAVER AND SMARTER THAN OTHERS: When he was still general during the Revolutionary War, George Washington refused to receive any salary. He did, however, file expense reports that critics claimed were more than his salary would have been.
(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)
