Bimbo Fernandez’s Heart, Knowledge, and Confidence for the People of Cebu City

Written By Gero Lopina

What makes a good leader? 

Is it their fame, their wealth, their political influence, or their abilities? Perhaps a better question to ask is “what is a good leader”? 

In interpreting this question and finding answers to it, we stumble upon choices after choices of the definition of what leaders are and what they must do for the people that they swore to lead. 

Yet I came across a remarkable incarnate definition of a leader who has a heart, knowledge, and confidence for the people.

Fernando “Bimbo” Fernandez is an independent Cebu City vice-mayoralty candidate for the upcoming May 2022 local and national elections. He believes that his independence for this political race is challenging and yet liberating because his independence causes a lack of a mechanism for him to hold massive campaigns; yet, he also has the freedom to be indebted only to the public he wishes to serve and no one else. 

As his forward advances are forming, I was given an opportunity to know more about what a leader he is and what he could offer to the Cebuano people. 

For the Cebuanos

Fernandez never took his independence as a plight to his candidacy for vice-mayor. Instead, he gains strength from it. 

What he offers to the Cebuano people are transformative politics and a chance to choose a leader, not for money or lies, but for the heart, the knowledge, and the confidence. He claims to embody these constructs as he moves forward to serving the Cebuanos. He further added that he strongly supports the endeavours of the youth and he believes in their power to urge change. 

For Education

One notable characteristic Fernandez holds is his trust and compliance with facts and science. Although he is also a man of faith, he remains compliant to the demands of medical science, especially in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

When asked about his opinion about reopening face-to-face classes in schools and institutions in Cebu, he replied with firm confidence that it is “good to reopen, provided that the medical experts permit” such a notion. 

Fernandez also expressed that, although he still has not formed a specific education and assistance program for the Cebuano students, he is willing to listen to the opinions of the students and hear what demands they may have. Even with no specificity, he believes that it is essential to provide scholarships and allowances to students to assist them in their learning endeavours. 

Further, he believes that there should also be infrastructures made available to Cebuano students. One example he provided was a free and accessible internet connection for all students. He believes that through this plan, students will be able to learn more about research and the powerful use of the internet. 

For Good Governance

Fernandez is very open to his support for activism and criticism from the youth against the actions of the government, believing that it paves the way to eliminating corruption. 

When asked about the possibility of learned youth criticizing the government, he answered, “I support that, [if] gusto tang ma-eliminate ning korapsyon [we want to eliminate corruption], the citizenry must be vigilant about all of these things.”

For him, calling out the government’s mistakes is a way to showcase the critical thinking that the youth should have when it comes to these cases – changes, policies, and rights. He also claims that the lack of transparency on the side of the government causes inefficiency and corruption, and that action is also needed to eliminate corruption. 

For the Economy

The Carbon Market in Cebu has been set to undergo modernization, recently reported. This move was proposed to transform the oldest and largest farmer’s market in Cebu into a commercial, heritage, and cultural district. However, Fernandez opposes this notion. 

Fernandez believes that the proposed action to modernize the market is not true to its motives and is only “a lie” as he claims that such an action is only for privatization. The government, according to him, is selling the Carbon market to capitalists, which would cause the loss of jobs for many small Cebuano vendors. He emphasized that there should be no need to fully modernize the market as there are malls and supermarkets already made available to most of the island’s population. 

With firm resolve, he said, “I will do everything that I can do to cancel the deal,” which proves his purpose of protecting small businesses and labourers.

Fernandez even claims that it is a lie to say modernization equals more jobs because as of present, even the unmodernized Carbon market employs as many people as it could. 

On the other hand, Fernandez reaffirmed that instead of modernizing the Carbon market –  which would compromise the rights of Cebuano farmers, labourers, and small business owners – the government should instead support Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies in Cebu, as it houses more and more employees every time. 

He believes that the majority of the urban poor find living from BPO employment. He said with conviction, “If I’m elected, we will also use the moral source to improve the conditions of labourers, workers, and poor people.” He added, “If ma-improve ning condition sa atong mga workers ug mga poor people [if the conditions of our workers and the poor people], then we have a bigger market, so the economy will improve” alongside the lives of the Cebuanos. 

For the Youth

Ultimately, Fernandez believes in the power of the youth to impact change in all aspects of society. He has shown great dedication to his fellow Cebuanos and to the good interests of the youth. Although he is running the race independently, it is inspiring to believe that the masses, and their aligning principles, are running alongside him.

“If you are happy with the situation, go ahead, do nothing. But if you are unhappy with the situation, the power is with you [the youth].”

“We really should be very creative,” he stated in addressing the problem.  

Though these projects will require lots of patience and resources also come with their own batch of complications,  he assured that “even if you are creative and the law is not as creative as you are, meron mga [there are] impediments.” 

“Iyan ang tinuro sa amin as lawmakers [That is what we — as lawmakers — have been taught]; we have to adjust to the creativity of our people and be able to make a conducive environment.”

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Images from Bimbo Fernandez’s Facebook Page