The new Republic of Mindanao

Bisaya na ang tanan.

''balimbing '' '' trapos.'' the seat of his famous father Nene who was Senate President, fifteen years ago, was easier and less contentious. Thanks to the backdoor maneuvers led by no less than former Senate President Franklin Drilon and Tito Sotto (the ultimate Machiavelli) of NPC, Koko knocked out Alan Peter Cayetano's dream to become what his late dad, Companero Rene, also failed to achieve. Mindanao has clinched it all. Luzon is too fragmented and Visayas seems to be sleeping, or slipping.

And so, the only non-Mindanaoan senior national official is the vice president, who is from Bicol. Metro Manila is not represented. The rest of Luzon is not represented. But the region that lost the most is the Visayas. The province which has lost its national stature is Cebu, together with Iloilo and Leyte. Even the Chief Justice has her roots in Sulu and married to a Davaoeno. Everybody is from Mindanao, the executive secretary, the secretaries of Health, DOLE, Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, even the Presidential Communication Office, the presidential Spokesperson, the Cabinet Secretary, and the PMS Chief. Mindanao is on top and Luzon has token representation. Visayas is totally forgotten. The PNP and the AFP are both lead by Mindanaoans.

What matters most however is that Cebu-Visayan is the new ''lengua franca'' of power and politics. As Erap used to say" Weather, weather lang yan."

Of the top five highest national officials of the Philippines today, four are from Mindanao, and one is from Bicol. There is no one from Cebu or the rest of the Visayan Islands, no one from Metro Manila or the rest of Luzon. This is unprecedented in...