How pathetic we have become

Among the fundamental principles of a republican form of government is the holding of election. Those who lead the government are chosen by the people composing the body politic. Government authority emanates from the governed.

For the upper chamber of our legislature, a total of 183 Senate hopefuls filed their certificates of candidacy for the 2025 elections. By a unique feature in our republic though, some of this number will be considered as nuisance candidates and their names will be removed from the list of candidates.

There are supposedly three perceived major political camps that will lock horns. The first two, are the pro-Marcos administration and the Duterte-backed candidates. While they were allies in the 2022 elections, they have become sworn enemies for reasons beyond greed for power that the ordinary citizens like me can only second-guess. People view the third group is the real opposition.

Surveys have been conducted to find out the early favorites among the senatorial bets. I must admit that speaking in a socio-political context, I am prejudiced and biased. In my socio-political frame of mind, I dare say that the results of such political survey point to the continued condemnation of our country, Firstly, the brothers Tulfo led the survey, the bigger bulk of which ratings supposedly come from society’s class D and E. There were no explanations why they figured most prominently. But, we just have to note that in past elections, those who rate high in the charts of the pollsters in these social strata are likely to win.

I do not know these brothers personally. If we happen to bump into each other, I can, of course, recognize them but I’m sure they would only rant using the expletive language they mouth in their radio/television programs without caring to know who, an ordinary mortal, I am. The high survey ratings of these brothers are signs of our peoples’ excusable ignorance of the plenary power of the Senate which senators belonging to one family can wield. My main point is I do not agree that three brothers sitting as members of the Senate represent well enough 115 million Filipinos. There should be two other deserving candidates springing from two other families who can present in the legislative anvil other philosophical thoughts than what one family might have nurtured in their family.

Because nobody yet has acquired the ability to read the mind of other persons, nobody really has seen what governance philosophy is in the psyche of the three brothers. Having said that, I can also surmise that concentration of political power might be in the minds of the Tulfos. Let me demonstrate. A bill of controversial undertones sponsored by any one senator may have difficulty getting the approval of the Senate but it may just sail thru if three siblings put it forward. If three senators represent more than 12% of the Senate, their combined votes will have persuasive power to steamroll any opposition. In terms of effective number, three senators represent more than 12% of 115 million Filipinos! Lord Acton’s words “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely” appear threateningly relevant.

It might be true with the Cayetanos and the Villars. The concentration of the power in the Senate which might have motivated the Tulfos to put three siblings together might also be the same objective of the Cayetanos in pushing for Pia as well as of the Villars in letting Camille run. Two Cayetanos (and two Villars) compose almost 10% of the Senate or they are the announced direct representatives of about each 12 million Filipinos each. That is how pathetic we have become.