By any measure, the 2025 gubernatorial election in Misamis Oriental delivered a clear and thunderous verdict: Governor Peter Unabia’s leadership was no longer welcome. Losing by a staggering margin of over 92,000 votes to Juliette Uy, Unabia’s downfall was not merely a political shift—it was a reckoning.
The numbers alone tell a compelling story. Juliette Uy secured 327,305 votes against Unabia’s 235,023. This wasn’t a close race. It was a public censure of a sitting governor who, despite the power of incumbency, lost the trust of his constituents.
So what happened?
Much of Unabia’s undoing can be traced back to two deeply offensive campaign statements that sparked national outrage and alienated key segments of the voting population. In a viral video from an April 4 rally, the governor made sweeping and inflammatory remarks insinuating that Maranaos would bring trouble to the province if candidates with Bangsamoro ties gained power. This kind of ethnic profiling not only perpetuates harmful stereotypes but also sows division in a province that prides itself on diversity and coexistence. Such rhetoric has no place in public discourse—especially not from someone occupying the highest seat of the provincial government.
As if that wasn’t damaging enough, Unabia followed up with another tone-deaf statement claiming that the provincial scholarship program should only benefit “beautiful” nurses. According to him, unattractive nurses could worsen a patient’s condition. This isn’t just bad taste—it is misogyny and discrimination dressed up as humor. For many voters, particularly women and members of the medical profession, this comment hit a nerve. It exposed an attitude that is both elitist and dismissive of the very people who serve with compassion and professionalism, often under challenging conditions.
These two remarks, taken together, were a political self-sabotage. Misamis Oriental voters saw through the governor’s casual bigotry and held him accountable at the polls. It was a democratic rebuke, grounded in dignity and a demand for leadership that unites rather than divides.
Yet instead of gracefully conceding defeat and learning from the experience, Unabia’s camp has chosen to cling to a narrative of alleged election fraud. Atty. Carlito Ravelo, Provincial Comelec Supervisor, confirmed that their office received a brief letter of intent from Unabia’s team to file an election protest. But as of May 13, there has been no formal filing, and Comelec has not recorded any significant irregularities. The voting was automated, transparent, and—by all accounts—orderly.
In contrast, the camp of governor-elect Juliette Uy remains firm. Atty. Angel Lim, legal counsel for the National Unity Party, stated that they would seek legal remedies to address what they allege were acts of terrorism and interference by the Unabia team. They called the results “a magnanimous decision” that should be respected—a reminder that in a democracy, power comes from the people, not from threats or theatrics.
There’s a lesson here for all who seek public office: charisma is not a substitute for character. The days when voters could be swayed by patronage or loud speeches are fading. People now look for leaders who reflect their values, protect their dignity, and uplift every sector of society—not just those deemed “beautiful” or “acceptable” by outdated standards.
Peter Unabia’s fall from grace is a hard lesson, not just for him, but for politicians across the country. Discrimination—whether racial, cultural, or gender-based—no longer earns applause. It earns rejection.
Misamis Oriental has spoken. Loudly. Clearly. And with courage.
The challenge now is for the incoming administration to live up to the hope this election has rekindled—and for outgoing leaders to finally understand that respect, not rhetoric, builds legacies worth remembering.