Cebu in Poe’s speech; Grace-Chiz team formed

FIRST TWOSOME. It’s now a “go” for the Grace Poe-Chiz Escudero tandem, officially and publicly forged yesterday with Chiz’s announcement with Poe at his side.

They’re is the first to complete their team. Jojo Binay and Mar Roxas still don’t have vice presidents.

Notable in Escudero’s speech: his echo of Binay’s line in criticizing the PNoy administration of “teka-teka” and “analysis paralysis” or indecision and inaction.

DID YOU NOTICE?

- GRACE Poe included Cebu in her speech Wednesday, Sept. 16, announcing her decision to run for president.

She said in the eighth paragraph of her speech in Tagalog, referring to “daily triumphs over struggles of our countrymen”: “By ordinary Filipinos who are awake before the rooster announces the morning, tugging bags on the way to school or guiding carabaos across the ricefields. By those jostling for space in the MRT or running to catch a bus or jeep to work before traffic builds up in Edsa or Fuente Osme¤a Blvd. in Cebu.”

Apparently, but her researchers weren’t more careful. It’s Osme¤a Blvd. as Fuente Osme¤a is the rotunda, not the avenue. Maybe because Fuente is a better known landmark. And Osme¤a Blvd. is not Cebu’s Edsa. BanTal or Banilad-Talamban corridor approximates Edsa more.

-- THREE ITEMS IN POE’S SPEECH THAT DREW MORE CHEERS FROM THE AUDIENCE AT U.P. DILIMAN:

When she (1) talked about “monopoly” on the PNoy slogan “matuwid na daan,” (2) rooted for passage of the Freedom of Information Act “at the soonest possible time,” and (2) said she’d increase speed of the internet as highway of information, and (3) declared the “West Philippine Sea is ours.”

ON CHARGES OF CRITICS AND HOW THEIR SUPPORTERS COMPLETED THE SENTENCE raising the charge, here are two recent samples: -- “Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is sick....” “... and tired of our rotten system.” -- “Cebu Gov. Junjun Davide has done nothing...” “... that is corrupt or illegal.”

Duterte didn’t react to earlier talks he suffered from Buerger’s disease, which affects the nerves, and a slipped disc, when he fell from a big bike years ago. But he was angered by the “rumor,” written on FaceBook by a former journalist, one Philip Lustre, that the mayor has cancer of the throat. Not true, he said. One story from Davao said Duterte disclosed that it was his estranged wife who suffers from that ailment.

The charge that Davide has had “a dismal” performance” was first raised publicly by former governor Lito Osme¤a when he announced his plan to run (which apparently fizzled out with the entry of Winston Garcia into the province race) and by former governor Gwen Garcia at the press-con about her brother Winston’s bid.