The people's governor: then and now

Last 30 June 2025 at 12:01 P.M., Pamela Silagan Baricuatro, a first-time politician who upended Gwendolyn F. Garcia’s third and last bid for a gubernatorial term, took her oath as Cebu’s governor.

- Todd Sales Lucero

Experts raved about how this newcomer garnered more than a million of the Cebuanos’ votes, the first in Cebu’s history --and some say the highest in any gubernatorial race in the entire country-- and Pamela S. Baricuatro says she would love to honor this number by being known as the “people’s governor”.

This is an extremely powerful branding. It is interesting to note that another former Cebu governor also had an almost similar moniker: Sergio Osmeña, who was just a young man and new to the world of politics when he defeated the incumbent and well-seasoned Juan Climaco, garnering 95% of the votes. As one newspaper at the time said, Sergio Osmeña was “pinili sa katawhan” (elected by the people). Simple words, but very powerful. Almost the same sentiment as Pamela Baricuatro’s well-deserved branding.