HISTORY repeats itself like a broken record.
Before, it was conjugal dictatorship and cronies. Then, it was Kamag-anak, Inc. Now, we call it political dynasty. Really, there’s nothing new under the sun.
The Estradas had set a bad precedent when mother and son won simultaneous seats in the Senate. In the recent election, we saw senatoriables with kin already sitting in the Senate. That’s one the reasons why I did not vote for Alan Cayetano, Vic Magsaysay and Koko Pimentel (See my previous blog entry: http://inquirerbloggers.net/eleksyon2007/2007/05/16/why-i-did-not-vote-for-pichay-cayetano-et-al/).
In our country, we see fathers sitting as mayors with their children sitting as congressmen. In one city, four brothers ran for mayor, congressmen for both of its districts, and party-list representative. When the local official finishes his third term, he makes his wife run for the position. Then we also discover that some of the nominees of the party-lists are children of congressmen.
Why do we tolerate this? Before the election I went to Bicol. I asked a pedicab driver why he would vote for Dato Arroyo. He answered, “Siyempre anak siya ng pangulo. Eh di mas malakas sa taas.” (Of course, he is the son of the president. So he must be well-connected up there.) What if Dato loses this election? Does that mean the President will neglect that district in Bicol? That is why political dynasty is so unfair.
Now, these politicians claim that there’s no law against it. Granted, it may not be illegal. But it is immoral. Democracy is about equality. Where is equality in political dynasty? Is there equality when power is concentrated on just a few influential families? I heard Alan Cayetano say that kings pass on power to their sons. Mr. Cayetano, we are not under a monarchy. Well, at least in a monarchy, the king dies first before the prince takes over. Why not wait for your sister to step down before you run for senator? How can siblings (or father and son as in the case of the Pimentels) be a fair representative of the entire country? Where’s equality in that?
They claim that they are qualified. Fine. “Sila lang ba ang mga anak ng Diyos?” (Are they the only children of God?) Are they the only ones qualified? Plus, they are not just banking on their qualifications. They are taking advantage of name recall. That’s undue advantage. Did they focus solely on their qualifications in their campaign? Really now? Did the voters vote for them solely because they are qualified?
Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. claimed that political dynasty is not prohibited by the ten commandments. Well, Mr. Senator, it is. God said, “Thou shalt not steal.” Isn’t political dynasty stealing the opportunity to serve from others?
At least, Senator Panfilo Lacson had the moral courage not to allow one of his sons to run for a local elective position. He told his son not to run while he is a senator.
It seems to me that it’s all about power. I believe they just could not let go of power, that they just want to perpetuate themselves in power, that they lust for power so much that they want more of it. That’s why any anti-dynasty bill is doomed to failure even before it is put on paper.
November 22nd, 2007 at 1:41 pm
Enrico Navea
Ang kapal talaga ng mukha nitong si Alan Peter. Kahit na nga sa Survey eh 6-4-2 ang lumabas, gusto niya pa rin 8-2-2. Conditioning of mind na naman yan. Kung sakali nga naman maging 6-4-4, dinaya na naman. Ang kapal talaga, bagay mukhang monay naman ang mukha mo eh kaya siguro kumakapal.
Kung naniniwala ka sa survey Cayetano, makikita mo na 6-4-2 at hindi 8-2-2 na ngayon ay idinadakdak mo. Puro kasi daldal eh.
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Election is over. At mali ka! the only reason Pandak manok won because they cheat again.
November 22nd, 2007 at 1:35 pm
ESR
That Salina should stop defending the number one gambler the Philippines had known..ERAP. aside from being a legitimate womanizer with mistress at the left and right, He disected the nation’s economy for the benefit of his family and mistresses and friends..His election to the presidency is non phenomenal, given the Filipinos passion for celebrities and movies.
He deserved what he is getting now, no less. His son Jinggoy’s record in the senate is an empty useless waste of gov’t money, barking on his dad’s enemy whenever he had chances, and so Luisa ejercito, both mother and son makes a tandem of liabilty rather than a respectable senators of the republic.
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Why should I stop protecting Erap. What I was saying is true! Further more what his love life got to do with anything else for as long as his doing his job he suppose too.
Just look what happen when these elites hypocrites kick Erap and install Gloria Arroyo, Into her stolen power. The corruption in government office is so rampant but yet these elite hypocrites who’s install her, Is not saying anything because they’re in it together.
As we all can see it, The only reason they kick Erap from Malacanyang Palace so that they’re the one can rob the country coffer.
August 19th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
KOKO will never win in Mindanao and everybody knows that. He did not even win when he run for mayor of cagayan de oro, how much more in the senate.
i doubt as well that KOKO indeed was a BAR Topnotcher.. a math major then a bar topnotcher? common! it could be the connection of his DAD pimentel. everyone knows how influence and money can make wonders.
July 2nd, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Salina
Migz-Koko vote dispute rages on
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KOKO: THE ONLY PROBLEM TAKEN YOUR CASE TO COURT IS THE ENTIRE CORRUPT JUSTICE SYSTEM CONTROL BY THE CORRUPT GLORIA ARROYO. BUT, GO AHEAD AND TAKE YOUR CHANCE LET SEE WHAT THESE JUDGES GOING TO DO. AND WE ARE GOING TO WATCH. LETS SEE WHAT HAPPEN. AS WE ALREADY KNOW THE MAGUINDANAO VOTES ARE TAINTED. BECAUSE THE COMELEC OFFICIAL THE ONE DOING THE CHEATING FOR GLORIA ARROYO. AS WE ALREADY SEE IT. SIGE TULOY ANG LABAN. KAHIT SA KALYE PA!
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nilampaso ng mga supreme court justices si koko, bartopnotcher pa man din, nag mukhang t?a?n?g?a, kawawa naman…….
June 17th, 2007 at 7:04 am
tagakotta
One Team Unity person that I will really remember for a long ,long time is “Tony PET Albano�.He was always so proud that the “Command Votes� were going to deliver the votes for his team.I always wondered where Mr.Tony “PET� was talking about elections in North Korea and other “Guided democracy countries� .
I will not be surprised at all if his appointed Comelec chairman one day!(lol)
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The command votes they’re talking about is the dagdag bawas operation. They did the same thing in May 10, 2004. Presidential election. In mindanao thats where all their cheating operation is….
Except this time the filipino people join hand and protect the filipino people votes. Thats why their cheating operation has been caught. Imagine if they didn’t got caught. Gloria Arroyo, Well be in power forever. I’ll say, Its time for us to unite and kick some ASS’S!!!
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June 17th, 2007 at 7:00 am
Migz-Koko vote dispute rages on
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KOKO: THE ONLY PROBLEM TAKEN YOUR CASE TO COURT IS THE ENTIRE CORRUPT JUSTICE SYSTEM CONTROL BY THE CORRUPT GLORIA ARROYO. BUT, GO AHEAD AND TAKE YOUR CHANCE LET SEE WHAT THESE JUDGES GOING TO DO. AND WE ARE GOING TO WATCH. LETS SEE WHAT HAPPEN. AS WE ALREADY KNOW THE MAGUINDANAO VOTES ARE TAINTED. BECAUSE THE COMELEC OFFICIAL THE ONE DOING THE CHEATING FOR GLORIA ARROYO. AS WE ALREADY SEE IT. SIGE TULOY ANG LABAN. KAHIT SA KALYE PA!
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By AUREA CALICA and PERSEUS ECHEMINADA
The Philippine Star
With the 11th winner in the senatorial race safely proclaimed, the nation now awaits the votes from Maguindanao to decide the fate of the last two contenders for the 12th slot.
The two contenders – Aquilino “Koko� Pimentel III of Genuine Opposition (GO) and Juan Miguel Zubiri of the administration Team Unity – continued to trade barbs Saturday over the Maguindanao vote issue.
Pimentel, who continues to hang on to a slim lead over Zubiri, vowed to exert all efforts to block the counting of the “missing� votes from Maguindanao.
Zubiri, on the other hand, wanted the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to proceed with the counting, hoping the canvassing of votes from the province would give him the edge over Pimentel in the race for the 12th.
Zubiri welcomed the decision of the COMELEC against declaring a possible failure of elections in Maguindanao and moved to have a re-canvassing of votes.
He said the COMELEC must have seen the wisdom of not declaring a failure of elections in Maguindanao, which could also result in the disenfranchisement of some 300,000 voters.
“I am very grateful that the COMELEC has decided to uphold their (Maguindanaoans’) right of suffrage, since this is the very foundation of our democracy. Let us all remember that mass disenfranchisement is the most cruel form of electoral fraud,� Zubiri said.
Zubiri criticized Pimentel for seeking to exclude the votes from Maguindanao.
“Koko and I are both from Mindanao, so I am bewildered how any son of Mindanao can support a move to disenfranchise a great number of his people,� Zubiri said.
Pimentel insisted COMELEC should exclude the votes from Maguindanao since they have been allegedly compromised.
He said the COMELEC, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBC), could set a dangerous precedent when it ordered the collection of the missing election returns from the province for a recount.
He said COMELEC is going on a “fishing expedition� to retrieve the missing election returns.
Pimentel said he would be forced to seek a temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court to prevent the COMELEC from retrieving the questionable returns.
“If they do that, this will be the first time that the COMELEC, acting as the National Board of Canvassers, will go to the province to gather documents when the law and rules provide for a systematic way for the documents to reach the COMELEC-NBC,� he said.
The COMELEC’s plan to send a team of commissioners to retrieve the missing poll returns stemmed from the claims made by Maguindanao election supervisor Lintang Bedol that they were stolen.
Bedol, who was the subject of a manhunt by the COMELEC after disappearing for several days during the canvassing, said that among the missing poll documents are the certificates of canvass from the 22 towns and statements of votes from the province.
In all likelihood, Pimentel said the missing elections documents had been tampered with.
The COMELEC initially wanted to declare a failure of elections in Maguindanao following the allegations raised by concerned groups and the opposition.
COMELEC Chairman Benjamin Abalos said they have evidence that local officials had been proclaimed in the province, indicating elections actually took place in the province.
But the opposition claimed irregularities in the conduct of the elections in Maguindanao, citing all Team Unity candidates took the top places in the provincial count while GO candidates got zero votes, which they claimed was improbable.
Pimentel said the votes that came from Maguindanao had been “manufactured,� citing the allegations of teachers who had served during the elections that the ballots had been filled up even before Election Day.
Bedol denied the allegations but failed to show the documents before the COMELEC to support his claims.
As of the latest tabulation, Pimentel is ahead of Zubiri by 120,000 votes.
TU lawyer Romulo Macalintal said the COMELEC is justified to call for a recount of the votes from Maguindanao.
Macalintal said there are numerous Supreme Court decisions against excluding a region from the election count because of the disenfranchisement of voters.
“We cannot just exclude people’s votes because it will suit our needs. The COMELEC is being true to the spirit of this decree, and is therefore consistent with the Supreme Court’s opinion,� Macalintal said.
June 15th, 2007 at 9:21 am
Ha, ha, “guided democracy countries” are actually dictatorships.
Talk about lame euphemisms!
June 11th, 2007 at 6:56 pm
One Team Unity person that I will really remember for a long ,long time is “Tony PET Albano”.He was always so proud that the “Command Votes” were going to deliver the votes for his team.I always wondered where Mr.Tony “PET” was talking about elections in North Korea and other “Guided democracy countries” .
I will not be surprised at all if his appointed Comelec chairman one day!(lol)
June 7th, 2007 at 9:24 am
Well, Im not defending GMA here, but to say that ERAP is a better alternative to lead the country again is a travesty and insult to the dignity of people who dont like ERAP at all. The problem of his supporters are emotional and personality oriented, they turned blind eye on his ridiculous actions during his time, how the people will forget how he displayed his not only TWO but THREE first ladies, his gambling video and so many of his “kanto” rhetorics, HE is shameless!!Makapal ang mukha! If anybody has the right to criticise GMA, it should not be him,kasi wala syang credibilty at all..HE has his chances before, ANO BA ANG GINAWA NYA SA BAYAN? well, he is an idiot actor, kaya di nakapagtataka.
June 4th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
With all these arguments/debates, all I can say: GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES !!
IT IS US, THE MASA, WHO VOTED THESE POLITICIANS TO RUN OUR GOVERNMENT and IF they win by buying votes, or whatever case, the big question is: WHO VOTED THEM , IN THE FIRST PLACE?? THEN WHY COMPLAIN NOW !!?? Even w/o political dynasty, CORRUPTIONS IS A DISEASE , A ‘CANCER’ of our society !! Lahat magagaling,eh!! Paupuin mo naman, magnanakaw then sila!!
June 4th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Dear ESR,
Salina has the right to defend or not to defend / criticize or not criticize anyone just as you do especially if it concerns us FILIPINOS, our well being and right. I hope when you disagree with the WRONG DOINGS of Mr. ERAP and the rest of his relative politicians, you didn’t mean to say you prefer Mrs. Arroyo’s leadership.
You seem to know Mr. ERAP personally. Well, it’s no wonder coz he is a PUBLIC figure and we ought to know it. However, do you not judge with prejudice? I hope not…I believe the Arroyo’s government is worse. You do not know that, perhaps, because all the corrupt practices she does rest in secret. She made pretty sure of that by placing his “puppets” in control of each and every branches of the government..I cannot divulge details but I hope you’ll be blessed with the gift of “DISCERNMENT”…God Bless!
June 1st, 2007 at 9:56 am
That Salina should stop defending the number one gambler the Philippines had known..ERAP. aside from being a legitimate womanizer with mistress at the left and right, He disected the nation’s economy for the benefit of his family and mistresses and friends..His election to the presidency is non phenomenal, given the Filipinos passion for celebrities and movies.
He deserved what he is getting now, no less. His son Jinggoy’s record in the senate is an empty useless waste of gov’t money, barking on his dad’s enemy whenever he had chances, and so Luisa ejercito, both mother and son makes a tandem of liabilty rather than a respectable senators of the republic.
May 29th, 2007 at 8:02 pm
it is not political dynasty because the people still vote for those who they want to lead them. the election (an honest and fair one) ensures everyone that they are given an equal opportunity to lead and govern.
political dynasty yan kapag ina-appoint lang ng nakaupo ang kamag-anak nila sa isang gvernment position na gusto nila.
ang dapat nating pagtuunan ng pansin a ang pagbabago sa COMELEC na dapat sumisiguro na makakarn ayo ng isang malinis na eleksyon.
May 28th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
vince
President Arroyo must remove political dynasty and give the sincerest heart to fight against corruption in the philippines to have a good goverment. If not, filipinos are very pityful and no progress at all. it’s very shameful around the world that we cannot be independent. Democracy is slowly diminishing
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Fr: Salina.
What? You want Gloria Arroyo, Remove the dynasty? Are you kidding me,. Her son’s, Brother in law, sister among other….There is plenty of them in government office what make you think she’s going to remove them.
How can Gloria Arroyo, Solve the corruption in the Philippines when they’re the one doing it. You must be really out of your mind.
May 28th, 2007 at 3:28 pm
nei
Politics seen from the start of this 3rd republic had been a dynasty!
Our sovereign law under the 1997 constitution had prohibited this dynasty but there are many loopholes with this provision of our constitution.
As a result, political families are on the rise and ever expanding. The people have spoken through their ballots that this family must rule and so be it! What else can we do? Can you offer alternatives?
I’d be more than glad to hear from you.
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Fr: Salina.
If the filipino people vote for them, There is no alternatives. The filipino speak ika nga. But you’re right regarding about loophole in our constitution law;
Because even Gloria Arroyo, Don’t abide by it. In fact she’s the one has been shitting on it.
May 28th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Virginia
It is about time our country needs new leaders….we had great hope when Gloria became president as she claimed to be educated and an economist at that but she proved otherwise……..�
Yes, we had leaders that made MONEY/ POWER run their lives and we just changed our leaders faces but they were all the same……
PGMA, Listen to your heart……..Be still……..God will always be in control. nobody else…
Overseas worker like me depends in good and compassionate leader. I have been separated from my husband and children as long as I can remember. My husband had serve the Philippine goverment for 38 years but what did he got? Reprimanded, because he fought corruption within the service.
My only prayer is for God to FORGIVE US ALL and LET HIS MERCY BE UPON THE FILIPINO PEOPLE.
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Fr: Salina.
Ha, Ha, Ha,….The jokes is on you all, Who kick the duly elected President Joseph Estrada, For the accusation that up to date they still don’t have any solid evidence against him. In fact as the record show he’s not guilty of any wrong doing.
You kick Erap and replace him with the economy daw! But you end up with a lemon Gloria Arroyo. The joke is on you!
Whatever you are getting you all deserve it. So, Don’t complaint. You ask for it.
May 28th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
pidro
Bakit sa America okay lang? Si President George Bush Sr. at Goerge W. Bush, Jr. tapos kapatid nila si Jeb na Governor ng Florida.
Si President Clinton at asawang si Senator Hillary na tumatakbong Presidente rin.
Syempre ang Royalty ng American Politics na mga Kennedy. Isang Presidente, mga Senador, etc. at ang asawa ng California Governor Swarzenager na si Pam Shriver.
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Fr: Salina.
Pedro: Don’t compare america to philippines, Filipino people have a square head. If they don’t like what the see, They always complaint about it. There is nothing wrong with dynasty! For as long as they’re going to do their the suppose too.
May 28th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
pidro
Bakit sa America okay lang? Si President George Bush Sr. at Goerge W. Bush, Jr. tapos kapatid nila si Jeb na Governor ng Florida.
Si President Clinton at asawang si Senator Hillary na tumatakbong Presidente rin.
Syempre ang Royalty ng American Politics na mga Kennedy. Isang Presidente, mga Senador, etc. at ang asawa ng California Governor Swarzenager na si Pam Shriver.
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Fr: Salina.
Pedro: Don’t compare america to philippines. Filipino people have square head thats why every little bet of things if they don’t like it they always complaint about it. There is nothing wrong with dynasty!
May 28th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
The Estradas had set a bad precedent when mother and son won simultaneous seats in the Senate. In the recent election, we saw senatoriables with kin already sitting in the Senate. That’s one the reasons why I did not vote for Alan Cayetano, Vic Magsaysay and Koko Pimentel (See my previous blog entry: http://inquirerbloggers.net/eleksyon2007/
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Fr: Salina.
I don’t have anything against dynasty for as long as they’re going to do their job they suppose too. But, Most these politician only inrich themselves when the win in office.
The Estrada’s is not the only dynasty’s setting in the senate. Is not fair for you to single them out. Be fair! You sounded just like Gloria Arroyo.
May 26th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Ang kapal talaga ng mukha nitong si Alan Peter. Kahit na nga sa Survey eh 6-4-2 ang lumabas, gusto niya pa rin 8-2-2. Conditioning of mind na naman yan. Kung sakali nga naman maging 6-4-4, dinaya na naman. Ang kapal talaga, bagay mukhang monay naman ang mukha mo eh kaya siguro kumakapal.
Kung naniniwala ka sa survey Cayetano, makikita mo na 6-4-2 at hindi 8-2-2 na ngayon ay idinadakdak mo. Puro kasi daldal eh.
May 26th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
To Pidro:
Wag mo isali ang America dito, walang nakasulat sa Constitution nila na bawal ang politcal dynasty. Pero dito sa atin meron sinasabi ang Saligang Batas. Kung wala yan sa Saligang Batas, wala akong pakialam kahit puro Senators Cayetano pa lahat sila sa Senate. Pero meron tayong batas pero patuloy nilang niyuyurakan ang Saligang Batas para sa kapakanan ng kanilang pamilya. Shame on them.
May 26th, 2007 at 11:34 am
i also did not vote for those senators that have their kin(s) still in the senate, like cayetano, pimentel, etc. together with the useless bunch just wanting to stay there for power. i truly hate candidates in the local position the likes of the binays who changes position with his wife and is now grooming their kids for the same position to stay in power and authority. the binays are popular for their yellow card … but people of makati, remember they are not using their own money for that, its your money they spend for the cost of the service plus whatever commission they generate that are at times bigger than the cost of the service. yes, the arroyos and lots of these candidates are spending millions of pesos from legal and illegal sources to be in power. they have tasted power and money and do not want out of it. can you imagine two or more relatives in the senate favoring to vote for a law in favor of a crooked business or the lords of the drugs, hweteng, etc.? these relatives in group will be the target of these crooked crooks because that will be an instant majority in their favor! pero… di nakikita ng mga magagaling nating mambabatas ito at wala daw masama rito kasi sila ang gumagawa ng maling ito at magaling sila…
May 23rd, 2007 at 7:18 pm
Bakit sa America okay lang? Si President George Bush Sr. at Goerge W. Bush, Jr. tapos kapatid nila si Jeb na Governor ng Florida.
Si President Clinton at asawang si Senator Hillary na tumatakbong Presidente rin.
Syempre ang Royalty ng American Politics na mga Kennedy. Isang Presidente, mga Senador, etc. at ang asawa ng California Governor Swarzenager na si Pam Shriver.
May 23rd, 2007 at 6:35 pm
I did not vote for Koko Pimentel ( he is my choice as one of the most qualified candidate for the Senate) because of the politcal dynasty issue. If he just wait until his father’s term has ended then I will surely vote for him. Mr. Pimentel said there’s nothing wrong, those politicians who want their relatives to run for public office, they said there is no law against political dynasty. To all of you (The Arroyos, Binays, Aquinos, Pimentels, Cayetanos, Angaras, Estrada, et al… I have the list of all political dynasties), I say, There is a law. Many of you are against tampering the Constitution and yet you are ignoring the fundamental law of the land. What did the Constitution provides on political dynasty?
SECTION 26, Article II on “Principles and State Policies” of the Philippine Constitution states that “The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibits political dynasties as may be defined by law.”
They said there is no enabling law…the constitution are just waiting for the definition of political dynasty and who will define it? The clans? This provision of the Constitution is now a mere sentence…and everybody is tampering it. Who says that PGMA and administration people are the only ones tampering it? Almost all the politicians are tampering the Constitution.
Sa mga may dynasty….MAHIYA NAMAN KAYO!!!! ANG KAKAPAL NG MUKHA NIYO!!! DELIKADESA LANG…
TAKE NOTE: I am not pro-administration or anti-opposition, I AM ANTI-POLITICAL DYNASTY period.
I am happy that our Mayor (QC), Sonny Belmonte is not one of them. This early, he already informed his constituents that Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista will replace him…not his sons (although they are qualified to become mayor). I really commend Mayor Sonny Belmonte for that. Cheers, Mayor!!!
May 22nd, 2007 at 9:59 am
Pakibasa po uli. Tinira rin ang mga arroyo.
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tony
why are you all zeroeing in on the opposition? the arroyos are also a dynasty, their relatives are running for office all over. so before we can start with the senate lets start with the commander in chief.
May 22nd, 2007 at 4:35 am
It is about time our country needs new leaders….we had great hope when Gloria became president as she claimed to be educated and an economist at that but she proved otherwise……..”
Yes, we had leaders that made MONEY/ POWER run their lives and we just changed our leaders faces but they were all the same……
PGMA, Listen to your heart……..Be still……..God will always be in control. nobody else…
Overseas worker like me depends in good and compassionate leader. I have been separated from my husband and children as long as I can remember. My husband had serve the Philippine goverment for 38 years but what did he got? Reprimanded, because he fought corruption within the service.
My only prayer is for God to FORGIVE US ALL and LET HIS MERCY BE UPON THE FILIPINO PEOPLE.
May 19th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
I really don’t have anything against dynasty for as long as they’re doing their job the suppose too.
May 19th, 2007 at 11:37 am
why are you all zeroeing in on the opposition? the arroyos are also a dynasty, their relatives are running for office all over. so before we can start with the senate lets start with the commander in chief.
May 19th, 2007 at 2:18 am
I think Senator Ping Lacson telling his son not to run for any elective position while he is still “seated” speaks more to his decency than moral courage. That is the way it should be.
It is appalling how so many of our “public servants” do not seem to have such common decency in them.
May 19th, 2007 at 1:06 am
Political dynasty?THE POWER IS WITH THE PEOPLE,its the will of the people that they serve,political dynasty are just words.
May 18th, 2007 at 4:29 pm
Politics seen from the start of this 3rd republic had been a dynasty!
Our sovereign law under the 1997 constitution had prohibited this dynasty but there are many loopholes with this provision of our constitution.
As a result, political families are on the rise and ever expanding. The people have spoken through their ballots that this family must rule and so be it! What else can we do? Can you offer alternatives?
I’d be more than glad to hear from you.
May 18th, 2007 at 11:25 am
With voters closing their eyes on the Arroyo and Estrada dynasties, we see the process repeated in other political families all over the country even unto the next 20 years.
May 18th, 2007 at 10:01 am
The problem with the “success” of kamag-anak inc. lies with us, voters. If we stop voting the wives, sons/daughters, brothers and so of the incumbent they will never be in the position in the first place. The thing is, we always associate this with “political continuity” and not view it as “political theft.” The recent poll tabulation would show it.
May 18th, 2007 at 9:59 am
If you’ve read IPD and PCIJ’s “The Ties that Bind,” you will see that this is nothing new. The book documented the family, business and other interests of the 11th House of Representatives and showed that more than half of the House then represent a wider range of families, groups, social classes and political leanings. Even more than the previous two-post Marcos legislatures.
It had become a tradition. And the grip for power became even stronger and bloodier than it had in the past. Especially for families who relied too much on politics or a seat in public office for their businesses to run.
It is worthing noting though that the old political clans are better and less corrupt than newer political clans. Maybe because their is less national wealth to corrupt now than before and there are too many of them sharing the pie.
May 18th, 2007 at 9:32 am
President Arroyo must remove political dynasty and give the sincerest heart to fight against corruption in the philippines to have a good goverment. If not, filipinos are very pityful and no progress at all. it’s very shameful around the world that we cannot be independent. Democracy is slowly diminishing.