Cebu’s crucial role in polls highlighted in launch of pro-Dutere group

Local

CEBU continues to play a role in shaping electoral outcomes in the Visayas.

Political analyst Prof. Malou Tiquia said this during the Cebu Alliance for Duterte 2028 forum on Friday, March 13, as they gathered to discuss Vice President Sara Duterte’s presidential run in 2028.

Tiquia focused on the Visayas’ voting behavior, noting that while Luzon accounts for 56 percent of registered voters and Mindanao 24 percent, the Visayas comprises 20 to 21 percent of the national electorate.

She highlighted Central Visayas, including Cebu, Bohol, and Leyte, as a critical area where strong voter turnout has historically influenced national elections.

“Central Visayas would always get an 85.1 percent clip,” Tiquia said, emphasizing the region’s high engagement and the national visibility of its results.

Tracing four election cycles—2016, 2019, 2022, and 2025—Tiquia illustrated how the Duterte political network has maintained enduring support in the Cebuano-speaking belt.

She pointed out that in 2016, former President Rodrigo Duterte carried Cebu, Bohol, Southern Leyte, Leyte, and Biliran, establishing a strong foundation for future campaigns.

The pattern continued in subsequent elections, with local machinery and volunteer-driven mobilization playing key roles in sustaining support.

Tiquia also noted the importance of understanding linguistic and cultural divisions within the Visayas.

While Cebuano-speaking provinces have generally leaned toward Duterte, Ilongo- and Waray-speaking areas of Western and Eastern Visayas have often favored opposition candidates.

She stressed that this “linguistic-cultural divide is the most durable feature of Visayan electoral politics,” making local organization and voter outreach critical to securing broader regional support.

The analyst pointed out that Cebu’s political machinery, when operational, is essential for consolidating votes across the Visayas.

She cited the collapse of the one Cebu alliance in 2025 as an example of how fractured local alliances can create vulnerabilities, emphasizing that volunteerism and community-level organization are necessary to fill gaps in political infrastructure.

Tiquia also referenced the impact of recent political developments, including the impeachment proceedings affecting former President Duterte, underscoring the need for clear communication to Visayan voters to counter misinformation.

She noted that despite these challenges, Cebu and Central Visayas remain strongholds for the Duterte network, contributing to Vice President Sara Duterte’s core support base of 30 to 35 percent and overall preference ratings of 43 to 53 percent in recent surveys.

She concluded that sustaining and expanding the Duterte political network in the Visayas is essential for the 2028 elections.

“Control of Cebu’s machinery is tantamount to controlling a major region,” Tiquia said, adding that neglecting the Visayan and Mindanao battlegrounds could undermine national campaign efforts.

The forum brought together local and national figures, including Cong. Harold Duterte of the Puwersa ng Pilipinong Pandagat Party-list, Cong. Roberto Nazal of the Bagong Henerasyon Party-list, Atty. Rowena Guanzon, former Comelec Commissioner, and Atty. Salvador Panelo, former Chief Presidential Legal Counsel.

The discussions were guided by Dr. Winley Dela Fuente and focused on strategies to generate early momentum for the 2028 elections.

In an interview, Panelo said that the vice president will win the next presidency despite the impending threats of impeachment.

He said that if the cases will move forward, it will not prosper at the Senate, saying the majority of the Senators will be against it.

"Matagal ko nang sinasabi na si Inday Sara magiging susunod na presidente. Itinakda siya magiging presidente," he said.(MyTVCebu)