Living where I do (near the Centennial and NAIA Airports) and having to commute each and every day to work I notice that there are more tarpaulins bearing Bayani Fernando's face littering the islands than that of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo or of Jun Bernabe, the Mayor of Parañaque City, or of Peewee Trinidad, Mayor of Pasay.

I first saw this blue billboard early in the first quarter of 2008. It stands near the end of the island along Roxas Blvd. just before the Uniwide Coastal Mall (or what bus commuters call Coastal). On the obverse side is its pink counterpart, something which I really have not read at close range, because the pink side is visible only if you are coming from Cavite or MIA road, when the buses are just speeding up again after making the stop at the corner. I had always thought the pink side was the Welcome counterpart of this farewell. In a way it is.

But when I had the chance to really look at it, I realized that it reflected the real intent of the man named Bayani Fernando, and why his mugshot has been reported to have been spread across the archipelago.

The pink sign reads "MABUHAY WELCOME METRO PHILIPPINES"


Uh, say what ... Metro Philippines? Alam natin merong Metro Manila. Meron din Metro Cebu. Meron naring Metro Davao. Pero Metro Philippines? Wala namang ganung lugar ah.

Ah, alam ko na, yun siguro yung iniilusyon ni Bayani Fernando na kung saan siya mananalo bilang pangulo. Metro Philippines. I get it now, and it actually makes sense.

Because if there is no such place as Metro Philippines, then there is no such place that Bayani Fernando can ever win the Presidency.

Ayos!