EARLY in this political season, when vice president Leni Robredo included in her expanded senate slate Sen. Migz Zubiri, some eyebrows were raised.
A commenter in one of the Bukidnon kakampink group chats said: Land Grabber.
Considering that Leni Robredo’s earlier works as a development worker have been on agrarian reform. In fact, her support for the Sumilao farmers has been one of the highlights or resibo of her service to the poor. And her projects as vice president for the emancipated farmers, a high note in her development interventions in the laylayan of our society.
From the ant-viewpoint, the inclusion of Zubiri was quite ironic. Now, if her senatorial list will still contain a Z, that would be a tragedy – an unrequited love.
The Zubiris are yet another landlord and political dynasty. If you look at the sojourn of the Negrense Jose Maria “Toto Joe” Zubiri, Jr. in Bukidnon as a sugar industry executive and eventually into a sugar baron – it was through Marcos crony, then ‘sugar king’ Roberto Benedicto.
After having built a fortune from the Bukidnon Sugar Company (BUSCO) in the 1980s, Toto Joe started what is now known as the Zubiri political dynasty of Bukidnon.
The Zubiris have created a political bastion in southern Bukidnon, with a political base centered in Maramag town. Incidentally, southern Bukidnon is the least developed compared to central Bukidnon which has two cities Malaybalay and Valencia. And northern Bukidnon is known for hosting one of the world’s biggest pineapple plantations by Del Monte and a part of the emerging Metro Cagayan de Oro.
After the retirement of the late Carlos Fortich two decades ago, the Zubiris invaded the Capitol in Malaybalay. And a Zubiri has even held the mayoralty post in the capital Malaybalay until it was reclaimed by the late Dr. Boy Fortich in 2019. Son Atty. John Keith Flores is now running to get a second term in Congress for the 2nd district of Bukidnon.
Northern Bukidnon has always been Acosta country. With Nanay Coring, then Dr. Neric Acosta, and her sister Malou Acosta occupying the congressional seat most of the time in the last 30 years.
Neric is now trying to reclaim the 1st congressional seat of Bukidnon against the husband of his estranged sister Cong. Malou Acosta. Although the Acostas have been holding this post for the last nine years, the Acosta family has been bitterly divided when Cong. Malou allied with Gov. Joe Zubiri, even with stiff objections from mother Coring and elder bro Neric. The estranged siblings however are certified Leni-Kiko supporters.
Neric has not declared who to support for governor.
Leni, Kiko, and Neric were prominent intellectuals and students at UP. The three met at UP while Leni was studying Economics; Neric, Political Science; and Kiko was an English major. Kiko then was an activist and student leader, who became the first student regent of UP.
So, it is not a surprise why, by default, Neric would support the Leni-Kiko tandem. Leni and Malou Acosta-Alba developed friendships as ‘classmates’ at the House of Representatives.
This means not all Zubiri supporters would turn red and green.
Meanwhile, the gubernatorial seat of Bukidnon is now fought by 4th district congressman Manuel Zubiri and 3rd district congressman Rogelio Neil Roque. Gov. Joe Zubiri who is on his 3rd and last term as governor is gunning for the 4th district congressional seat.
The gubernatorial tiff promises to be a heated one. Cong. Flores of the 2nd district has allied with Roque and declared support for Leni. The 2nd and 3rd districts with Malaybalay and Valencia cities respectively are the most vote-rich districts. The 4th district may remain with the Zubiris, but it remains to be seen if they will retain hold of the Capitol considering that under the Zubiri dynasty southern Bukidnon is poorer compared to the central and northern towns.
Cong. Roque may not even declare his preferred presidential bet. Although rumored to support BBM, he has been prevented from declaring his support for him because a significant number of the mayors supporting him are pink. Even his wife is reportedly sympathetic to the Leni-Kiko tandem. Former Valencia mayor Jose Galario who is trying to regain the mayoralty seat of the vote-rich city is also reportedly pink.
The 2nd and 3rd districts can go either way, with the winner not leading by a wide margin. Down south, BBM may have an advantage as it is in Zubiri country. But who knows, despite Bukidnon being one of the richest provinces in the country, it is also among the poorest provinces, with the southern towns poorer than those in the central and northern areas.
A Zubiri endorsement would not necessarily translate into a BBM victory in the province. In fact, the more basic question is whether Manoy Zubiri can survive Neil Roque?
Given this situation, save for optics at the provincial capital Malaybalay City last March 31, the Leni-Kiko tandem has an advantage in Bukidnon. Add to that Leni’s 211,512 lead over BBM in 2016.
As for Senator Migz, well, he had not just caught the ire of the Bukidnon kakampinks, but the whole kakampink nation.
