The exacerbation of dynasty politics

The Filipino people have rejected family dynasties, when they ratified by overwhelming votes the 1987 Philippine Constitution. But Congress, which is controlled by trapos, continues to refuse enacting the enabling Anti-Family Dynasty Law. And so, today, dynasty politics is reaching its pinnacle from the Senate down to the smallest municipalities and barangays. And this is very bad.

We have three Tulfos who will be in the Senate in 2025, joining two Cayetanos, two  Villars, and two  Ejercito/Estradas. These elite families will be joined by trapos like Tito Sotto, Imee Marcos, perhaps an Abalos, another Binay, billionaire Pacquiao again, Revilla, Lapid and, my God, by Philip Salvador, Willy Revillame, and Jimmy Bondoc. The party-list is dominated by ageing actors and actresses, like Nora Aunor of Peoples' Champ, Zanjoe Marudo of Asap, and even such characters as Diwata. They are desecrating the spirit of the august body, the legislature of the land.

Family dynasties dominate the LGUs. Vilma Santos is running for Batangas governor again with Luis Manzano, son of Edu, for vice governor and Christian, son of Ralph Recto, for congressman. What is happening to our country? The president is BBM. The sister Imee is running for senator, the son Sandro for Ilocos Norte congressman. Imee's son, Matthew Manotoc, son of Tommy Manotoc, is gunning for reelection as governor with auntie Araneta Marcos as vice governor. Keon, cousin of BBM, is running for Laoag city mayor again, and another cousin, Barba, is gunning for representative of another district in the same province.

The Dys and the Albanos continue to monopolize power in Isabela. The Ortegas still dominate La Union.  The Pinedas control Pampanga in the same manner that  the Umalis control Nueva Ecija, the Romans and the Garcias dominate Bataan and Ebdanes have entrenched themselves in Zambales. In Metro Manila, the Gatchalians have consolidated powers in Valenzuela, the Binays have been in control in Makati, the Zamoras have taken San Juan from the Estradas, but the Aguilar-Villar domination of Las Piñas and the Olivarez control of  Paranaque remain impregnable.

The Cayetanos are being challenged by the Ceraficas in Taguig and the Eusebios, using a dummy, are trying to regain Pasig from Vico Sotto. Antipolo and the entire Rizal Province still under the domination of the Ynarez and Puno families with cracks put up by a young man from the Nograles Clan of Davao. Marikina is now being contested by the Teodoros and the Quimpos. And term-limited senator Koko Pimentel is joining the congressional fray in the city of shoes. Going down to Bicol, the Villafuertes still control Camsur and the Salcedas and Lagmans are fighting in Albay. Masbate now has a new name, Masbate Kho. All important posts are occupied by members of the Kho family.

The Garcias of Cebu, the Aumentados of Bohol, the Lacsons and Teveses of Negros, the Romualdez clan, the Velosos, Caris, and Javiers of Leyte, the Espinas of Biliran, the Mercados of Southern Leyte, the Tans of Samar, the Romualdos of Camiguin, the Oaminal Family dynasty in  Misamis Occidental, and the Diaporos, Alontos, and Adiongs of the Lanao provinces, the Ampatuans and Mangudadatus of Cotabato. The Dutertes and the Nograles clans, Garcias and other smaller dynasties in Davao City, all these elite families are controlling power and resources in Mindanao. It is indeed a land of promise: the politicians got all the land, and the people got all the promises.

This nation shall remain a struggling economy, with more than one-half of its wealth being controlled by greedy, power-hungry, and autocratic families. China has already penetrated our government systems, and America is trying to dominate foreign affairs through the dynasties that are the minions, subalterns, and dummies of foreign powers. I am tempted to become a Canadian citizen or a national of Timbuktu. This is not the country envisioned by both the 1935 and the 1987 constitutions.