TO MY FELLOW CEBUANOS:

Twenty years ago, I stared death in the face. For 36 hours after the Princess of the Orient sank, I drifted aimlessly in the sea, buoyed only by a life vest that was ready to give up on me anytime. My eyes were shut by the accumulation of the ship’s bunker fuel, my body was numb from hunger and the cold, and my spirit was growing weaker every passing minute. But there was one thing that never deserted me throughout my ordeal: my faith in God. I kept my faith, the same faith that continues to sustain me to this day as I embark on a mission that even wellmeaning friends have asked me to avoid. I am running for mayor of Cebu City. I have no wealth other than my family and friends. And I do not belong to any political royalty. My father was an ordinary government functionary and my mother was a Visayan movie actress and an elementary school teacher. But they raised us well. We have been trained to respect the dignity of every human being and to treat them fairly and justly. I am proud to say that in both my private and public life, I have not bullied nor shamed anyone. Neither have I been vindictive towards anyone who has crossed me, whether mall owner or street vendor. Cebu City is the sixth richest city in the country with an asset of P7.885 billion. Wisely spent, that should be able to pay for the cost of delivering basic social services such as health, housing, education, peace and order, and water and still have enough

surplus to invest in the city’s future. And yet why has our traffic problem worsened? Why do we have waterless days in summer? Why do we experience flash floods when it rains a little more than lightly? Why do we see children begging in the streets instead of attending class in school and families bundled together in the sidewalks during the night? You and I know why: government inefficiency, if not incompetence. These are the concerns that I pledge to address if chosen your mayor. You do not deserve anything less than efficiency, competence and transparency in getting the services you need from the government. But at the same time, I know that I can only do so much on my own. I will not pretend to be all-knowing. I will listen to others. Hence, on my first day in office, I will create a development council consisting of ordinary but active, vigilant stakeholders in the communities, local community members paired with technocrats and experts. Together, this council of experts in close dialogue with local communities will help build an environment that responsively, actively, keeps watch over the interests of all the stakeholders in Cebu City. I am Edgardo Colina Labella. Twenty years ago, I would have been dead but God gave me a chance. He must have had a plan. I have neither wealth nor political lineage. I am an ordinary man just like most of you. But I am willing to serve and I ask you to give me the chance.