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Amidst the many ways that has
described it over the years; perhaps the Philippine political scenario could be
best described in the following words: “a magic show”.
Three years ago, the Filipino nation
was begging for a change from the alleged trickery and deceit of the Arroyo
administration. Such is the reason why the 2010 elections was a turning point
in Philippine history. Everybody was crying for a change, which is why the
masses embraced the candidacy of then-Senator Benigno Aquino III, who came from
the family that symbolizes change for the modern Philippine society. While his decision to run was propelled by the
death of his great mother, it was enough for the plurality of the nation to
give him the opportunity to unlock the secrets of the bureaucracy and fix them
to lead us to a straight road instead of a long and winding one.
Fast forward to 2013, and it
seems our luck has yet to change.
For instance, just take a look at
the 2013 senatorial election scenario. According to the latest survey conducted
by the Social Weather Station and BusinessWorld conducted last March 15 to 17, 11
of the projected top 12 (and 18 of the projected top 20) senatorial candidates
are either long-time politicians catching a “second wind” or the “second coming”
of long-time political families and celebrities in the country. If you’re used
to seeing the names like Angara, Enrile, Villar, and Ejercito on the marquees
of campaign banners and posters around your communities, I’d bet you are
getting tired of seeing them all over again.
What is worse is that we are
seeing the same old hats, but with new tricks and a chest full of irony.
Most of the current high-profile senatorial
candidates are basically using the same technique that President Aquino III
used in his presidential campaign three years ago: rely on the legacy of
his/her family to appeal to the voters. But while Pres. Aquino only used the
Aquino brand rather subtly in his campaign, this election period has seen some
notorious strategies that just make the audience close their eyes in disbelief,
but with no amusement.
Look no further than Pres. Aquino’s
cousin, Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV. It cannot be denied that his statement about
being inspired by his “Tito Ninoy and Tita Cory” in his initial TV campaign ads
is an attempt to instigate nostalgia in the minds of the Filipinos, especially
the masses, to garner votes. While he could very well be inspired by two of the
greatest figures in modern history (and it is hard not to), using his lineage
from both and his cousin Pres. Aquino as a main selling point is a clear
example of political maneuvering that does more to give people an effect
similar to a different-colored-handkerchief magic trick: intriguing at first,
but flat-out flat in the long run.
Another example is Grace Poe-Llamanzares,
who took the same path as Pres. Aquino did in her “rise to fame”. A very
private person, she received her first national exposure when her father
Fernando Poe, Jr. died in December 2010. While she has partaken in anti-fraud
rallies before and is the current Movie and Television Review and Classification
Board (MTRCB) Chair, she also mostly relies in using her image being under the
shadow of her father as a positive, promising to continue what he planned to do
if he became President, which includes poverty alleviation, electoral reform,
and child welfare.
Quite frankly, there is
technically nothing wrong with using the legacies and fame of their parents and
grandparents to promote themselves. Everyone has their own advantages that they
can choose to use any way they want, as long as it is for the good of everybody
and done in the right ways. However, this move just comes off as a cheap trick:
a not well-thought-out move to generate short-term positive response. It seems
that by selling yourself to the voters as the son, daughter, or grandchild of a
well-known political figure, you are making it look like it is your birthright
to take over their relative’s non-guaranteed government position for
themselves. By using their names instead of showing off their game, it seems
like their only qualification to be a
government official is simply being the heir apparent to the throne of their
political clans, while in fact this is not true.
When you look at the track
records of the current candidates, they are actually more than qualified and
look very capable of bringing about progress to the country. (Intentionally bringing
their plans to fruition is another story.) For instance, aside from her
experiences in governance, Poe-Llamanzares has a degree in Political Science
from Boston College. New-age Mr. Palengke and re-electionist Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano
has been in public service for 21 years, which is remarkable considering his
youth. Bam Aquino has been an active entrepreneur and hosted TV shows for
years. The problem is that instead of stepping out of the shadow of their more
established relatives and make their own marks on the people, they borrow
stigma and charisma from them and taking the easy way out.
It is not really difficult to be
known for your credentials instead of your name, assuming you have a
high-profile one. Take perennial favorite Sen. Loren Legarda, for example. Despite
being married to a former governor until 2008, many people remember her for her
outstanding journalism career, her track record in more than 10 years as a senator,
and her campaign for environmentalism, women’s rights, and the welfare of the
poor. And prior to the recent controversy regarding his love life, another
popular re-electionist, Sen. Francis Escudero, is also known more for his image
as a youthful, energetic politician who speaks eloquent Tagalog (as opposed to
the traditional English orators) and stands for human rights, the environment,
and justice.
Looking at this perspective, the
concept of what I would like to call “electoral monarchy” may be exaggerated. Just
because someone has a different surname than the other candidates does not
necessarily guarantee that that person would bring fresh material to the show.
And just because someone shares the name of a legendary figure in Philippine
politics does not automatically make him or her a terrible part of the act known
as government service. If the candidates do bring more of their best
performances to produce the best quality of happiness for the viewing masses, then
we won’t regret handing out our votes to see them try to make our lives better
one day at a time, whether their names sound familiar or their acts look the
same as before. Because it would work.
However, every act needs two
components: a great set of actors … and their audience.
Note: to view the results of the
March 15th SWS-BW survey, visit http://www.sws.org.ph/.
