As of last week, only two things were certain with regards to the June 30 turnover ceremony at the provincial government of Catanduanes: the program of activities and the presence of all provincial elective officials who will take center stage.
Forget the oathtaking rite. Except for perhaps two or three board members, all of them would be reciting the pledge for the second time.
Governor-elect Patrick Alain Azanza was first to do so last June 8, 2025 in the hinterland barangay of Tucao in San Miguel town.
If rumors are true, Vice Governor-elect Robert Fernandez and the eight Sangguniang Panlalawigan winners belonging to the Cua slate are set to be sworn in by Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Candice Guada Cresilda Cortes Almodovar-Tordilla on June 28, two days before the Capitol Dome ceremony.
The fact that all those who ran for and won provincial posts together with the vice governor-elect will have their own oathtaking ceremony sends a message not only to the new Capitol leadership but also to their constituents.
The group identified with the outgoing administration is proverbially drawing a line on the sand and daring anyone to cross it.
This means that the relationship between the legislative and executive branches in the Azanza administration would not be as cordial as hoped for by those who voted for change.
There will be an undeclared strife in the sprawling compound: newly appointed officials will undergo stringent scrutiny by the SP and any budgetary proposal will likely take a lengthy time to review.
It brings to mind the impasse and discord that marked Cesar Sarmiento’s term as vice governor although at that time, the numbers at the SP were clearly in favor of then Governor Leandro Verceles Jr.
But majority of the electorate possibly expected a similar scenario to happen when they voted on May 12, 2025.
For, if they had wanted Azanza to have his way in the next three years, they could have chosen former Vice Governor Shirley Abundo and added the relatively unknown PBM aspirants to the list of winners.
So, as Chinese feng shui masters say, Catanduanes is in for interesting times.
The new governor brings not only his much-vaunted meritocracy to the Capitol but also a team of trusted men and women who will help him realize his vision for the island.
Just like in his short stint at the university where he relied on seven vice presidents to carry out his orders, Dr. Azanza will have by his side selected officials who he believes can deliver on his campaign promises.
By this time, it is too soon to speculate as to what extent the Fernandez-led SP would be willing to cooperate with the governor’s office after June 30.
Unlike the vice governor and the members of the board, department heads and ordinary employees will have no choice but to follow the lawful directives of the new chief executive and help him accomplish what he had set out to do.
The vice governor and the PBMs, however, have a say as far as anything involving funding is concerned, especially if the new administration would need to finance its programs and projects through loans.
It would be alright for Fernandez & Co. to oppose any proposal that would violate the law or go against public welfare.
But their constituents would not like it much if any opposition would be based solely on partisan politics.
Three years is too long for a bad administration and too short for a good one. And all of them would be part of it.