“Dynasty
cartel” has described the Marcos-Duterte alliance whereby “the rich and
powerful take turns occupying seats of power, including the presidency,” Danilo
Arana Arao asserted in his article in East Asia Forum entitled Philippine
Election Year Reinvents Dynasty Cartel. He expounded:
“Former
president Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter Sara… vice president. Duterte’s son
Sebastian… mayor and another son Paolo… representative. [Duterte’s personal
aide Bong Go is a senator.] President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr’s son Sandro…
senior deputy majority leader. His first cousin Martin… House speaker.” [PBBM’s
sister Imee is a senator and his relatives have retained their clout in Ilocos
Norte and Tacloban City.]
“[T]wo
Estrada siblings were elected to the Senate… Newly-elected Senator Alan
Cayetano will join his sister, Pia Cayetano… Mark Villar … will join his
mother, Cynthia Villar… Senator Win Gatchalian’s brother… Congressman of
Valenzuela City. Senator Joel Villanueva’s father is a deputy speaker of the
House of Representatives. Senator Francis Escudero’s family members have been
elected, too, in Sorsogon province… Even the son of former President Gloria
Arroyo was able to win a seat in Congress by representing security guards and
tricycle drivers through party-list system… now referred to as the “backdoor
entry…”
Ateneo
School of Government researchers, as of 2019, calculated: 80% of governors, 67%
of congressmen, and 53 % of mayors had at least one relative in office.
The
above specimens are eye-popping tips of the huge political dynastic iceberg.
Political
dynasty enables political power to be passed on within a particular family or
group of families over multiple generations. Political power is acquired and
maintained through the control of the political office, usually through
succession or the nomination of family members as political candidates.
Political
dynasties can bring about adverse consequences for our country, especially the
poor Filipinos.
Lack
of Political Competition. When political power is held by a small group of
families, it can limit competition, reduce the pool of political candidates,
and limit the range of political ideas and perspectives represented in
government.
Reduced
Accountability. Political dynasties may use their political power to protect
their interests and avoid being held accountable for their actions.
Corruption.
Political dynasties may engage in corruption to maintain their political power
and protect their interests, further exacerbating inequality, and depriving the
poor of essential resources and opportunities.
Inequality. Political dynasties can perpetuate inequality
by maintaining control over resources and opportunities, limiting access to
power and decision-making processes, and failing to address the needs of
marginalized communities.
Lack of Representation. Political dynasties can result in the exclusion of diverse voices and multifaceted viewpoints from the political process, downscaling the representation of needy communities and aggravating existing social, economic, and political disparities.
Political dynasties are
prohibited under Article II Section 26 of the Philippine Constitution. However,
no law has been passed to enact this in 35 years.
“Paano
natin maasahan na sila ay gagawa ng legislation o batas laban sa interests
nila? We cannot expect them to legislate against their own family.” (Prof.
Roland Simbulan, Vice Chair of the Center for People Empowerment in Governance)
Political
dynasty’s insensitive spitting image in history – when it comes to man’s
proclivity to shamelessness, callousness, and greed – was the slave trade.
Charles Colson in his book Kingdoms in Conflict: An Insider’s Challenging
View of Politics, Power, and the Pulpit vividly painted a word picture of
the uncanny parallelism.
“[I]t
is not surprising that few argued against one of the nation’s most bountiful
sources of wealth – the slave trade. In fact, the trade was both a successful
business and a national policy. Political alliances revolved around commitments
to it. It became known euphemistically as ‘the institution,’ the ‘pillar and
support of British plantation industry in the West Indies’ … slaves had been
deemed ‘goods and chattels.’
“Corruption
in government was so widespread that few members of Parliament thought twice
about accepting bribes for their votes… Their political influence in parliament
grew until a large bloc was controlled by the vested influence of the slave
trade.
“The
horrors of the trade were remote and unseen… [‘Several weeks into the voyage,
sixty slaves had already died. Fever had taken some. Others, driven insane by
the horror of their lot, had been killed by the crew.’] So, most consciences
were not troubled about the black men and women suffering far away on the high
seas…”
Against
such an overarching background, I conjured up a mental picture of delivering a
Sunday sermon to both our honorable senators and congressmen about Jesus’ words
in the Gospel alongside the seeming irreversible political dynasty afflicting
our country’s plight. In collaboration with Chat GPT, here’s the message:
><><><><
I
stand before you today to address the words of Jesus: “You are the salt of the
earth” and “You are the light of the world.” These words have a powerful
meaning for each of us, especially for those in positions of leadership.
As
salt, we are called to bring flavor and preservation to both houses that seem
to have lost their taste for righteousness. And as light, we are called to
shine in both houses which seem shrouded in moral darkness. This is a calling
for us to bring change and make a difference in our country today.
And it
is in this context that I address the issue of the political dynasty that
dominates both houses. Just as the slave trade was an immoral and unjust
practice that oppressed the vulnerable, so too is political dynasty a form of
oppression that perpetuates a cycle of power and privilege. The perpetuation of
political dynasties robs our people of their right to fair and just
representation.
We can
take inspiration from the story of William Wilberforce who fought tirelessly to
abolish the slave trade. We can be the salt and light that our country needs by
working together to abolish the inequity of political dynasties. This will
require courage and a commitment to doing what is right, even in the face of
formidable powers that be.
I want
to leave you with a vision for a brighter future. A future where our country is
free from the inequity of political dynasties and where our government and our
people, especially the poor, can flourish.
Imagine
a country where political power is not passed down within a privileged few, but
where the people have a voice in the decisions that affect their lives. Where
resources are distributed fairly and opportunities are available to all. Where
the marginalized are represented and their needs are satisfied.
This
vision is not just a pipedream, it is a possibility that we can work together.
By embracing our call as the salt and light of the world, we can bring about
change and bring hope to our country. We can work towards a future where
political dynasty is no longer a dominant force in our country, but a distant
memory of a time when people were oppressed and held back from reaching their
full potential.
Let us
leave here today with a renewed commitment to making this vision a reality. Let
us be the change we wish to see in our country, shining the light of hope and
working boldly to abolish the inequity of political dynasties. Let us work
together towards a better future for our country and our people, where the
light of justice and equality shines bright for all to see.
Let us leave here today with this wisdom from the Bible: The just man is a light in darkness to the upright.
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A blessed Sunday to everyone!
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