Sign up against political dynasties

The Philippine Daily Inquirer, last Sunday, ran an article on political dynasties. That write-up titillated me no end because I had written, in this column, an overview of the topic political dynasties. Aside from that, I discussed the constitutional paradigm of this subject to my law students. I also talked to some few personalities who were willing to lend me their ear, about the dominance of powerful political clans in our country as a major, if not the major, stumbling block to our growth as a nation.  When the Inquirer story carried charts and filled the spaces therein with faces and names of popular families who have been, without doubt, politically entrenched for decades on end, I felt relieved that a very powerful medium, had, at long last, the occasion to spell out those political names I could only mention with great hesitation.

Among such power wielders that I could rattle off without even having to refer to the published article are the Binays, the Estradas and the Marcoses, the Enriles, the Cayetanos, the Angaras, and the Villars. The litany could have been much longer had I included those in the lower levels of government structure. I must concede though that the national paper, in listing the members of these families holding elective positions in government, was more graphic in its presentation. Indeed, that story gave an added dimension to the clamor of few of our countrymen to give substance and meaning to the constitutional provision against political dynasties.

In my earlier column, I had occasion to refer to some poll surveys that ranked certain personalities high among the probable winners in the 2013 senatorial derby. According to the pollsters, the names of Congressmen JV Ejercito, Jackie Enrile, and Sonny Angara together with Sen. Peter Allan Cayetano, would clinch the top places in the forthcoming mid-year elections for senator. Considering that the campaign period has not even set in yet, we could only assume that name recall was the main factor influencing the surveys.

Here is a contrast. Candidate Bal Falcone, also for senator, may have set up campaign organizations in major centers of population. But, here in Cebu, where he was born, raised and educated, he is, quite ironically, an unknown commodity. His father, who once appointed as an Arbiter of the National Relations Commission, was never exposed to campaigning. Apart from registering absolutely no name recall, the father Falcone, not being a politician, left no political machinery at all.

Can we compare the political moorings of candidate Bal with say, Cong. Enrile? Let us remember that Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile’s known base is Cagayan province of the Northeastern most tip of Luzon. While a handful few would know that the late Arbiter Falcone presided hearings in Cebu, most everyone was touched by the core of the senator’s campaigners hereabouts since pre-martial law days. With their sons competing for senate, Bal would, in all likelihood, bite Cong. Enrile’s dust.

Had there been enabling laws passed to give substance to the fight against the establishment of political dynasties, candidate Bal would not have to compete with the names mentioned in the Inquirer article. His drive would not have been subjected to the terrible disadvantage of passing thru the gauntlet of known politicians. Whatever plans he may have for our people would not buried in the avalanche of the command votes of long reigning political warlords. Alas, his impeccable credentials would not even merit second reading by voters.

If we should reflect on the message subsumed between the lines of the Inquirer article, we could discern how un-republican this prevailing situation is. We do not allow persons living well outside the acceptable realms of dynasties, the chance to show case their leadership talents. Realistically speaking, political dynasties prevent new names from setting up and getting known in the realm of public service.  Using their well-oiled electoral machinery and calling on debts of patronage, political dynasties make sure that upstarts are cut to pieces before they could really bloom.

In my little understanding of political science, political dynasties are anti-republican institutions. If we plan to move our country forward, such plan must include sweeping aside all names affiliated with political dynasties. In the pursuit of this goal, you may call me at 0917-322-7636 and sign up against political dynasties.

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