I hope you are now feeling better and have recuperated from your illness. Seeing that dextrose injected in the veins of your hands on the video telling us you could not attend the Office of Vice President’s Christmas party was heartbreaking for all the OVP employees and me as your events host because I was looking forward to singing for you, making you laugh, having a picture with you and most especially, giving you a moral boost in these times. 

But since I could not talk to you face to face, I might as well use my column in the Manila Bulletin to tell you how I feel. VP Inday Sara, I am one of the 32,208,417 Filipinos who voted for you because I believe in you and up to now, I still believe in you. It was 2017 when the Davao City Hall booked me as a host and singer for your Christmas party. I asked if I could meet you before the event because I have been a long-time fan, and they told me and asked me if I was willing to fall in line because there were no shortcuts with you. 

So I was there in line together with the street cleaners of Davao, and talking to them while waiting in line made me respect you even more. The street cleaners told me that anybody in Davao can talk to you for as long as they are willing to wait in line. 

You did not give any preferential treatment whether they were big-time investors of Davao or “bisag kami mga pobre na naga-limpio diri sa Davao City” (even us poor cleaners here in Davao City.) I followed your mayoral career and was astounded to discover that the 1 billion peso debt your administration inherited from the previous administration was fully paid off before you ended your term in  2022. 

When you stepped down as Mayor of Davao City, the city was the 8th richest city in the Philippines. I really wanted you to run for president. Still, you told us, celebrity supporters, to help you and President Bongbong Marcos as you believed in his capacity to run the government. When you won and served in the Office of the Vice President, the Giselle Sanchez Foundation referred some indigents who could not pay their hospital bills to your medical assistance program. I told them to go to the OVP without a referral letter. I told them the OVP would never turn them down if they fell in line and had their complete requirements. And you did help them, all of them.

Today, we ask you, Madame Vice President, to stay strong. The truth will prevail, and the truth will set you free. We have always believed in you and will continue to do so. I know all this stress has caused your immunity to weaken.  And so,  we, your supporters, want to show you how much we believe in your honesty, integrity, and brilliance as our country's second leader. We pray that you get well soon and for your strength to fight this battle and emerge triumphantly.