An early contender for 2028

Vice President Sara Duterte has done what few national figures dare to do. She has stepped onto the runway for 2028 while the aircraft of 2026 is still taxiing. It is an unorthodox maneuver in Philippine politics, where ambition is usually wrapped in coy deflections and seasonal denials. This time around, the veil was lifted early.

History is not particularly kind to early declarants. Those who announce too soon often find themselves weathered by fatigue, target practice, or both. The Philippine presidency is less a sprint than a marathon across uneven terrain, with an electorate that gravitates toward the more popular candidates come election day.

Yet this episode feels different. The political crosshairs are already trained not only on the Vice President but on her family, long perceived as formidable contenders. The consolidation of forces against a perceived threat this early in the cycle suggests that 2028 has already begun in earnest. The subtext is clear: Neutralize early, define early, diminish early.

From the vantage point of the private sector, this unfolding chess match inspires little celebration. Business thrives on stability, predictable policy environments, and institutions that do not change direction with every gust of partisan wind. Politicking does not build infrastructure. It does not generate jobs. It does not calm markets. It consumes oxygen that could otherwise fuel development.

We speak from practical optimism. Slogans are confetti. They shimmer briefly, then settle as litter. What deserves attention are actions measured in quantifiable outcomes, such as whether policies are consistent and whether regulatory frameworks are stable. We ask about infrastructure targets, inflation figures, and the sustainability of investments. The private sector evaluates governance the way it evaluates balance sheets.

The early declaration may have no immediate impact on corporate boardrooms. Projects will still be bid out, and capital will still flow where returns justify risk. But the more subtle impact lies in priorities. Will the final two years of the present administration be devoted to long-term structural reforms, or will public policy tilt toward constructing a credible counterweight to a formidable candidate already named and identified?

This is the quiet anxiety of industry. When governance becomes preoccupied with electoral arithmetic, reforms stall. Agencies hesitate, and bureaucracies look over their shoulders. Decisions become transactional rather than principled.

The country deserves decisiveness anchored in the national interest, not in campaign calculus. If Vice President Sara Duterte has indeed signaled her intention to contend, then the appropriate response of the administration is not perpetual maneuvering but governance with clarity and firmness.

Elections will come, as they always do. The more pressing question is whether, in the meantime, the work of nation-building proceeds uninterrupted. Stability is not a slogan; it is an outcome. And that outcome, more than any declaration, should determine the judgment of 2028.

For comments, email him at darren.dejesus@gmail.com.