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Manila Bulletin devider Opinion devider Sara vs Leni

Sara vs Leni

Published Sep 7, 2021 12:05 am

Medium Rare

Jullie Y. Daza

The stage is set for the Fight of the Century! In the blink of an eye, the Clash of the Titans!

(Drum roll) In this corner, Sara Duterte, defending champion of poll surveys! In the other corner, Leni Robredo, challenger!

The signs are all there. The drama no longer centers on which male will announce his presidential ambitions, because all eyes should be on the mayor of Davao City and the vice president of the Philippines. Who was it who said the best Filipino is a Filipina?

Leni versus Sara, Sara versus Leni. A dream or aberration?

Like true-blue, demure Mara Claras, neither lady is revealing their plans for the most expensive horse race in town, but who are they kidding? Between the lines of their pronouncements, which are neither here nor there, the most casual observer reads their body language – and what their eyes are saying – loud and clear.

Among the gentlemen, no one except Ping Lacson has been brave enough – I almost said man enough – to loudly, proudly declare their aspirations to run Malacañang. What gives, guys? At least six men have expressed their desire to team up with Sara as her running mate. Leni has not received similar proposals. Sara does not belong to a national political party, though she heads a regional party that not long ago dislodged a sitting speaker of the House. Leni is titular head of the decimated Liberal Party; nothing much has been heard of late of the 1Sambayan coalition of anti-Duterte personalities.

It’s madness to even think of running a presidential campaign in the midst of a pandemic. “Quiero pero no dinero” could be what’s keeping the candidates mum, at least until Oct. 8. But being a free country and politicians being a great source of entertainment, let’s imagine this first in Philippine history: two ladies slugging it out for the presidency. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Sara the Tiger, Leni the Dragon.

Tiger and Dragon facing each other like gladiators in a fight to the finish where the only rule is win or fade out forever. Who’s more winnable? The voters are waiting for their own sign. Sara, who dares talk back to her father, the President. Leni, the thorn in the President’s side.

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