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The votes that have been reflected in the COMELEC Transparency Servers and reported in real time by various media outfits and citizen watchdogs seem to show one thing—a landslide victory for the tandem of former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos and Mayor Sara Duterte. Their victory was decisive. I congratulate the presumptive President and Vice President on a disciplined and well-run campaign and wish them well as they begin the difficult task of healing a divided nation and, more critically, directing the country’s economic recovery.

The robust 8.3 percent economic growth in the first quarter of 2022 is giving presumptive President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. a solid head start. He is not inheriting a weak economy. Rather, he is receiving a strong one—in fact the fastest-growing economy in East Asia—from outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte.

By the time this column comes out, it would have been two days after our people have made their choice and cast their ballots. I am not sure if the winner has been clearly established by now but it seems the perfect opportunity to change from campaign mode to governing mode. Now, we are done with the battle of platforms, the war of words, the conflict in the airwaves and the many, many scuffles on social media. It is not an exaggeration to say that this campaign has been very divisive.