Random Shots

Gov?!

The late afternoon sun bathed the town of Batac, Ilocos Norte in a warm, golden glow. The air smelled of freshly harvested rice and the distant sound of a radio playing Ilocano love songs blended with the chatter of neighbors catching up after a long day. In the middle of it all, the Marcos ancestral home stood tall, proud, and deeply rooted in history—much like the woman who was now sitting on the front porch, sipping her favorite iced tea: Imee, or as she was fondly known to everyone in the province, "Gov."

Her daughter, Ianira, strolled out of the house, phone in hand, wearing a cheeky grin. She leaned against one of the large columns framing the porch and watched her mother for a moment before breaking into a teasing tone, “Well, well, well, Gov, ang relaxed mo today ah. So bago ha. Ilang constituents mo kaya ang naghahanap sa'yo ngayon ma?”

Imee shot her daughter a mock glare over the rim of her glass. “Anak, I have my team handling things for the afternoon. Pwede ba akong magpahinga paminsan-minsan?” She arched an eyebrow, adding playfully, “And since when did you start calling me Gov?”

Ianira shrugged and sat down beside her mother, still grinning. “Since you’ve become too busy to be just Mom and more of Gov to everyone around here.” She winked at her mom, clearly enjoying her own teasing. “But don’t worry, Gov, you’re still my favorite governor.”

Imee snorted and leaned back in her chair, pretending to be unimpressed. “Is that so? And I suppose you’ll start calling me your honor next?”

“Maybe I will!” Ianira teased, nudging her mother’s leg with her foot. “Actually, you know what? You should get a sash that says ‘Governor Imee Marcos’ para bagay talaga, every time you’re walking around town. You know, so people don’t forget. I mean, it’s not like they already know naman, right?”

Imee chuckled, shaking her head. “You’re enjoying this too much, hija.”

“Eh, kasi naman, Gov, you’re always so serious,” Ianira replied, leaning closer. “Nakita kita kanina sa plaza, and you had that classic ‘I’m here to solve all your problems’ face. Tapos pagbalik dito, parang wala lang. Switch off agad. Advices naman dyan Gov”

“That’s because that’s what being governor is about,” Imee said, waving her hand as if to dismiss the conversation. “You don’t bring all the stress home with you. And besides, I’m not serious all the time.”

“Not serious? Gov, you’re like the queen of being serious,” Ianira quipped, her eyes gleaming with mischief. “But don’t worry, you’re also the queen of Ilocos Norte. Kaya nga I’m here, to lighten up your very, very serious day.”

Imee sighed but couldn’t help the smile forming on her lips. “Alright, alright. Enlighten me, Ms. Comedian.”

“Okay, here’s a thought,” Ianira began, leaning back in her chair as she crossed her legs dramatically. “What if you had your own reality show? ‘Life with Gov.’ Every episode, you’re solving all the issues of Ilocos Norte, but with a twist! You’re also running a house full of crazy kids and animals. It’s like a mix of politics and chaos! Ratings would be through the roof.”

Imee let out a hearty laugh, genuinely amused by the ridiculousness of the idea. “Sounds like my real life without the cameras!”

“Exactly! People would love it, Gov,” Ianira said, trying to sound serious but failing to suppress her own laughter. “They’d tune in every week just to see how you manage to balance being a governor with… I don’t know, handling a herd of goats that escape into the office. Classic Ilocos Norte life.”

“And where exactly would these goats come from?” Imee asked, shaking her head.

Ianira waved her hand as if dismissing details. “Oh, you know, somewhere! Random constituents sending you gifts of livestock because you’re such a great governor.”

Imee gave her daughter a sidelong look, the smile still on her face. “You really have quite the imagination, Ianira. You sure you don’t want to run for office someday with ideas like that?”

“Me? No way!” Ianira laughed, shaking her head vigorously. “Gov, ikaw na 'yan. I don’t have the patience for politics. That’s your thing. I’m just here to make sure you don’t turn into a robot from all the seriousness. Isa pa, I don't like politics”

Imee smiled fondly at her daughter, touched by the playful, lighthearted banter. She knew that despite all the teasing, Ianira’s heart was in the right place. “Well, I’m glad you’re around to keep me human.”

“Of course,” Ianira said, flashing a bright smile. “I mean, someone has to remind you to breathe and have fun once in a while. Can you imagine? The great Gov Imee Marcos, too busy to enjoy life? It’s a scandal waiting to happen.”

“Hindi mo ba alam?” Imee replied, feigning mock seriousness. “I’ve already been accused of not knowing how to have fun. It’s just part of the job.”

“See? That’s why I’m here,” Ianira said, sitting up and giving her mother a determined look. “To make sure you’re still enjoying things. So, Gov, what’s the plan for tomorrow? More work? Or do you want me to schedule a mandatory ‘fun time’ for you?”

Imee laughed again, leaning back and looking up at the sky. “Well, now that you’ve mentioned it, a day off might not be so bad. But I’m not calling it fun time, alright?”

“Sure, sure,” Ianira said, nodding enthusiastically. “We can call it Gov’s day off. Or maybe, Governor’s Secret Adventure.”

Imee rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress the grin that spread across her face. “You’re too much naman anak”

“And you love it,” Ianira replied confidently. “Admit it, Gov.”

“Fine,” Imee said, shaking her head in defeat. “I admit it. I do love it.”

They both shared a laugh, the warm breeze carrying their voices out into the quiet town. The people of Batac had long known the Marcos family as public figures, but moments like these—when Imee and her daughter shared lighthearted banter—were the ones that truly mattered. Away from the politics, away from the weight of responsibility, they were just a mother and daughter, teasing each other and enjoying the simple pleasures of life in their hometown.

“Alright,” Imee said after a pause, placing her empty glass on the table beside her. “What’s the plan for the rest of the day, Ms. Event Planner?”

“Well,” Ianira began with a mischievous twinkle in her eye, “I was thinking we could head over to the market. I hear they’ve got fresh empanada. You know, just a casual outing for the Governor of Ilocos Norte.”

“Empanada, huh?” Imee raised an eyebrow, pretending to consider it. “As long as you promise not to call me Gov while we’re there.”

“No promises,” Ianira said, standing up and grabbing her mother’s hand, pulling her out of the chair. “C’mon, Gov, let’s go! The people of Ilocos Norte are waiting to see their beloved leader… buy empanada.”

Imee couldn’t help but laugh as they headed out of the house, arm in arm, with Ianira continuing to throw playful jabs at her along the way. Even in her role as the governor, surrounded by the weight of politics and responsibility, Imee knew that as long as she had her daughter by her side, she would always have a reason to smile.

:)

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wala giresquest nito pero drop ko na