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Without loyalty, you won’t accomplish anything.
— Youngboy Never Broke Again
BEING ONE OF the poorest regions in the Philippines and the least industrialized, Eastern Visayas (Region VIII) has failed to catch the national government’s attention despite having proven their loyalty to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM).
The truth is that the Marcoses failed to alleviate the socio-economic conditions of the region’s six provinces, namely Biliran, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar, Eastern Samar and Southern Leyte.
Particularly, Northern Samar had been loyal to the Marcoses, including the Romualdezes, but the political dynasty hasn’t been loyal to the Samareños as no visible evidence of progress and development is seen in the province.
And with the NPA in the hinterlands of Samar island and the peripheries of Leyte and Southern Leyte, it appears that whatever support has been given to the Warays does not trickle down to its poverty-stricken people.
‘[I]t may be recalled that Marcos lost to Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo in four out of six component provinces of the region: Samar, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, and Southern Leyte. It was only in Biliran and Leyte that BBM won.’
GLORIOUS PAST
Presumably, Malacañang has forgotten that historically, Samar had a glorious past being the first island that the Portuguese-Spanish conquistador Fernão de Magalhães, or Ferdinand Magellan, saw in the archipelago on March 16, 1521. It was also this island that prevented him from returning to Spain.
Currently, the three Samar provinces are expected to turn their backs on the Marcoses as they have been ignored and forgotten for far too long.
If one can see the political pattern here, the Ilocos Region rose while economically, the Samar-Leyte corridor remain among the poorest regions in the country.
So, what does that say of the Marcoses who controlled these provinces the longest?
IMELDA’s BAILIWICK
For the longest time, the Marcoses have always described Region VIII, claimed by the Marcos matriarch Imelda Marcos as her bailiwicks, as faithful in always following the direction of the Solid North’s political loyalty.
Yet counting the turn of events, this will no longer be true, especially in 2028 when the country conducts the presidential elections.
Actually, it may be recalled that Marcos lost to Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo in four out of six component provinces of the region: Samar, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, and Southern Leyte. It was only in Biliran and Leyte that BBM won.
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