Promise and performance

All throughout the country, a new set of officials have been sworn into office, each one, especially the higher ranking, enumerating their promises before their supporters.

Often, the post-election promises are close or similar to those they have given during their campaigns.

Had all the campaign and post-election promises been fulfilled, there would have been significant over-all observed improvement of the lives, even just of the supporters, of most elected officials.

Sadly, this is not what happens.

Instead, many elected officials exhibit ostentatious post-election lifestyles while the poor among their constituents remain poor or become poorer even.

We reiterate the same issues we raised in our April 18, 2024 PERSPECTIVE: Poverty is not our only problem. Inequality is as well.

We ask the same question: will there be less poverty and inequality this year?

What will the situation be for Cebu Province/Cebu City from July this year to the next elections?

Do you remember that Cebu Province bragged about being the wealthiest among provinces, with assets of P235.7 billion in 2023?

In the first semester of the same year, 2023, Cebu Province, the wealthiest province, had 10.7% poverty incidence, with millions of constituents who had insufficient per capita income for their basic food and non-food needs!

Cebu City which ranked 7th richest with P30.545 billion in 2023 also had a poverty incidence among families of 10.1 %, again, with millions who had insufficient per capita income for their basic food and non-food needs in the First Semester of 2023!

One does not have to check out the data from the FIES (Family Income and Expenditure Survey) of the PSA (Philippine Statistics Authority) to understand that poverty and inequality exist.

While there are millions of poor with very low or no income/assets, there are the wealthy very high income, who own mansions, resorts, numerous assets.

Will the new set of officials for Cebu Province and Cebu City prioritize/bring real improvement in the lives of the poor in their midst?

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there will be less poverty, less hunger, less unemployed, less homeless, less health-education deprived within the first 100 days, the first year, of the new set of city and provincial officials?

It will be very interesting to have a score card to check on their promises versus their performance for the poor of Cebu Province and Cebu City.

A solid database about the poor of Cebu will have to be available so the new officials will know not only the total aggregated number of poor but to know where they are, and most importantly, who they are, with their profile as well as that of the rest of their household.

A comprehensive anti-poverty performance score card can note who among the poor, in what communities, moved from their July 2025 income, poverty incidence, hunger, unemployment and other indicators to the officials’ 100th day in office, then to June 2026 (their first year of service) and so on.

Will there be officials who will be interested to implement this UN agenda of No One Left Behind during their term?

Perhaps yes? Most probably, no?

We prefer to pray and remain hopeful that there will be those among the new officials in Cebu Province and Cebu City genuinely concerned to prioritize/see the poor truly empowered, emancipated from even just their basic needs for food, clothing and shelter, and protected in terms of their health-education, other welfare needs.

We look forward to genuine officials who will do their best to close the gap between the rich and the poor, who will move Cebu towards a more equal-equitable, eco-protective, participative, transparent system of governance.

May the Cebu poor not continue to be viewed as dispensable, as disposable, mostly forgotten, not consulted, not informed, excluded, not involved throughout the various stages of governance.