Pollutics-The Muddled Side of Philippine Governance

Dynasty

The second highest elected official of the Philippines argues against the prohibition on political dynasties. While not surprising, it behooves the VP not oppose the constitution which he swore to uphold. The 1987 Philippine constitution prohibits political dynasty as embedded in Article 2 Section 26.

Anyway, Philippine Vice-President Jejomar Binay justifies political dynasties on the merits of public clamor and solid qualifications. Yeah?I see it oh so clearly.

Because he trounced every opponent (Edu Manzano and Lito Lapid more prominenetly) for mayor in Makati for which the Binays continue to rule , he thinks that 'public clamor' can be transferred by hereditary succession. The VP sat as Mayor of Makati for 21 years succeeded by his wife and today is run by son Jejomar Jr.

Now, the VP fields reluctant daughter, Nancy,  to fill the vacancy left by the Joey De Venecia's decision to abandon the United Nationalist Alliance's (UNA) senatorial slate. Aren't we stretching things a little too far your excellency?

Reportedly, Nancy's name always made the surveys conducted by Pulse Asia and the Social Weather Station (SWS) making her the perfect choice even as she protested. But, daddy knows best. Nancy rounds up the Binay's clan bet for 2013 which includes the reelection bids of Jejomar Jr., for Makati Mayor and Abigail for district representative. A Vice President, a senator, a congressman and a mayor, the concentration of those positions in one clan sounds already lethal, if not for the whole nation, at least in Makati, the country's prime financial district. It spells immense if not absolute power and paraphrasing Lord Acton, immense power, corrupts immensely or something to that effect. Dynasty dispenses with check and balance.

Now take the case of the Angaras, a long time dynasty of Aurora province. Congressman Juan 'Sonny' Angara spews the same rhetoric of the VP and sounds even proud that their family rule Aurora as a dynasty. Taking the justification a little further, GMA news quoted the good congressman as saying while there is a constitutional provision against political dynasty, there hasn't been any law enacted. Come now your excellency, you can do better than that.

From Casiguran town in Aurora one hundred twenty (120) farmers marched 300 kilometers to protest the Aurora Eco zone project that has undermined their way of life. The project was imposed by the Angara dynasty consisting of Senator Angara, his son, representative Sonny (running for a senate seat in 2013) and sister, governor Castillo.

In some situations, dynasty spawned blood feuds amongst allies as in the case of the Maguidanao Massacre. That is exactly what immense power can bring.

In Abra province, north of Manila, near Baguio, ten families rival for political positions and remain under close watch by the Philippine National Police for two hundred (200) or so politically related deaths including that of a sitting congressman.

One hundred fifty (150) clans lord over 80 provinces, 138 cities and 1,496 municipalities, treating these political divisions as their fiefdom.

People like the Vice President contravene efforts to finally put into law the constitutional provision of anti-dynasty. Congress is filled with member of political clans who are not going to kill the goose and the senate- forget about it.

Party List

The decision of the Commission on Election (ComElec) to purge party list accreditation deserves compliment. The purge seeking to weed out non- working parties and those deemed not representing the marginalize, took a lot of political will from the current chair . However, it falls short, to my mind, of what should be done to the party-list system- it's abolition.

The Part list system is an anomaly in our political milieu where representation in the lower house is by district. Representatives craft laws to equally protect rights of all citizens; for its implementation to be applied equally and for its benefit to be for the common good. In allowing representation for a special interest in legislation, doesn't that counter the principle of the common good?

As any policy wonk knows, all laws and policies tend to contain negative effects to a certain part of the population. The trick is to ensure that only a very minute portion is negatively affected. In the party list system, the reverse is true erroneously justified by the perverse notion that there exist in law a marginalized society.

Defining 'marginalized'  validates the divide of the law between the rich and the poor; the divide between ethnicity and every form of discrimination.

Cronyism and Patronage Politics-Twin Evils

They never left with Marcos. In fact some cronies of yore, bob in and out of the palace. Eduardo Cojuanco, a known crony of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos and Joseph Estrada (both ousted) won his battle in the supreme court in his bid to declare his 20% holding of San Miguel Corporation legal and not ill-gotten. For Cojuanco to have finally put to rest questions of impropriety in the administration of his nephew after 20 years may smell a little fishy.


Jose Rene Almendras, at the Mindanao power crisis, advised Pnoy that the solution was for the consumers to pay more for stable supply. Widely criticized for the advise, Almendras was replaced as secretary of energy only to be reappointed to the now revitalized cabinet secretary which pundits attribute as the President's way of accommodating his friend.   

Belonging to the innermost of President Benigno Aquino III’s inner circle of classmates, schoolmates and buddies from Ateneo de Manila University, Almendras leads an exclusive trio in this inner circle that includes Cristino Naguiat Jr., the chair of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) and Romy Mercado, whose family used to own Red Ribbon Bakeshop until it was bought by Jollibee Foods Corp. in 2005.