Mahigit dalawang oras akong nagtatakbo sa gitna ng magulong daan upang maghanap ng mga taong matutulungan.
Marami ang nabagsakan ng mga bahagi ng mga establisyemento. Lalo na't ito ang capital ng syudad at dito halos nakatayo ang mga restaurant at coffee shops.
Kinamusta ko ang ilan sa mga tinulungan ko na ngayon ay nakahiga na sa stretcher. Ang mga ngiti nila ay sapat na sa 'kin upang maibsan ang pagod na nararamdaman ko.
Saglit akong umupo sa compartment ng isang sasakyan saka tinawagan ang vice-mayor ko.
"Mr. Minerva, how's the city?" I asked to my vice-mayor over the line. After all, I'm still a Mayor in QC. And I have a responsibility left there.
"It’s good Mayora, nag-umpisa na rin yung Cash for Poor program natin," he said vigorously, causing me to heave a sigh of relief. It's good to hear na hindi sila nilindol.
"Just call me if anything happens."
"Yes Mayora, by the way how are you? I heard you're in Cebu right? Are all good there?" I took a deep breath in his question. There's nothing good in here.
"Nah, it's devastated," I heard him let out a sigh of disappointment.
"Kamusta ka? Are you okay?" He asked, fret evident in his voice. Mr. Minerva is just at may age, tho his two years older than me. Katulad ko ay isa lang s’yang batang politiko. Kahanga-hanga nga at nanalo s’ya, sabagay ay may puso naman talaga s’ya ng isang pinuno.
He's a good man tho, and even though his young, unlike me, he know a lot about politics. No wonder, he's a POLSCI graduate.
"Wait your name is over the news," my brows creased in his words.
What did he say?
"Oh that's my Mayora!" He exclaimed vigorously.
"What's going on there Minerva? " I asked curiosly.
"Hey Eury! You're really an incredible woman! Lalo mo 'kong pinapahanga," napasentido na lang ako sa sinabi n’ya.
Here we go again with his so-called feelings for me. I don't like boys and will never. Everyone that surrounds me knew that. But this man here over the line, never cease to be expressive with his feelings for me. But I never really give a single attention to him. I don't care in his feelings tho. I just see him as my vice-mayor, nothing less and nothing more.
"Oh my! gotta go!" I uttered ditherly after seeing the bunch of medias running towards me, with some people who I helped beside them. I think I know what's going on.
"Mayor de Lara!" at huli na nang sinubukan kong tumakas. Nakakabulag na flash ng camera at nag-uunahang microphone, ang pumigil sa 'kin. At kaliwa't kanan ang nakabibinging sabay-sabay na pagtatanong ng mga media.
"Bakit po kayo nandito?"
"May mga tao po'ng nagsasabi na tinulungan mo raw sila,"
"Nangangampanya po ba kayo dito?"
"Usap-usapan ang pagtakbo n’yo sa pagka-Presidente, parte lang ba ng iyong pagtakbo ang iyong presensya ngayon?" Ang kahuli-hulihang tanong na narinig ko ang nagpa-init ng dugo ko.
Liningon ko kung sino ang newscaster na nagmamay-ari sa tanong na iyon. She's from DXL station. Inagaw ko ang mikropono'ng hawak n’ya, at buong tapang na itinaas ko ang aking noo at tumingin sa camera nito.
"I know that all of you knew that I'm running for Presidency. And I guess the issue that politicians having their presence in any kind of tragedy just to pretend that they're as kind as angels was never been new to you," I firmly said with my head held high.
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Pearl Of The East | ✓
Action"Country first before anything. My gun is my man." Hezekiah Eurydice de Lara was once a Lieutenant in the field of military, who fortunately became the Philippines' second female President, and as the mother of her first love. She's known as a fearl...
