IF a stable democracy rests on a stable party system, which abdicate clear and distinct platforms that address current and future issues and prescribe proposed solutions for them, then it should be no surprise to anyone that democracy in the Philippines is as unstable as cryptocurrency valuation.
We don’t have a stable party system because we don’t have stable parties. If they’re not the gangs that Haydee Yorac once called them, they’re at least loose alliances of politicians united by the simple and singular desire to win (or retain) power.
Once a “party member” feels that his chances of winning are no longer served by remaining in the group, he bolts. And has no qualms joining another in the bat of an eyelash.
A quick read of presidential politics is sufficient to make this clear. Manuel Quezon made turncoatism something to be proud of, when he was once said to exclaim: “My loyalty to my party ends where my loyalty to my country begins.” Generations of politicians after him have taken him seriously, although one wonders how many replace “country” with “family.”
Ramon Magsaysay, Ferdinand Marcos, and Fidel Ramos are three politicians who switched parties to successfully win the nomination and the presidency. The first two were initially members of the Liberal Party (LP) but Magsaysay switched to the Nacionalista Party (NP) so he could challenge incumbent President Elpidio Quirino in the 1953 elections, which he did and which he won. Twelve years later, then-Sen. Ferdinand Marcos followed Magsaysay and left the LP to capture the nomination of the LP and defeat incumbent President Diosdado Macapagal in 1965. In 1992, Fidel Ramos bolted the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino or LDP to form his Lakas NUCD and then run and win in the 1992 presidential elections. “My loyalty to my party ends…”
Whether it is the result or the cause – or both – Filipinos now almost never identify with a party but with a politician. Parties are just window dressing for the ambitious; they provide a machinery that can go down to the most remote barangays of the country; when needed they can provide warm bodies at rallies, signatures for petitions, and votes for plebiscites or during regular elections. In return they only ask for access, to be able to distribute positions and contracts and funds (maybe not in that order), keeping the traditional way of Philippine politics alive and well and kicking even in the 21st Century. But beyond that?
Platforms, for example? A vision for the future?
Maybe you can just download one from the net.
This focus on the person and not on the party goes beyond politics; it’s also why many sports fans follow players first before teams. I was a Jaworski fan from the first day I started following professional basketball, and that why I was a Ginebra fan for as long as Jaworski was playing.
But party focus is critical if a democracy is to function in a healthy manner because it provides the citizen voter a roadmap for the future direction of the country, based on the platforms of the parties and the principles on which they are based. A party can be an out and out pro-market, pro individual liberties party, advocating the least interference from government – and that could make you a Republican in America, a Conservative in the UK, or a Christian Democrat in Germany. Those who believe that government must provide a balancing force to market forces and look after the less privileged could be a sympathizer of the Democrats in the US, Labor in the UK, and the Social Democrats in Germany. Then there are the environmentally-focused, who have made the Green Party a force to reckon with in Europe, especially in Germany. And, of course, there are also the anti-immigration, jingoistic parties that appeal to nationalist sentiments that can be found all over Europe – with elements within the Republican Party in the US.
But here in the Philippines? Stop anyone on the street and ask them what the LP or PDP Laban or Aksyon Demokratiko stand for, and chances are they can’t tell you. But they can probably tell you who is the presidential candidate of the party.
Maybe the greatest weakness of political parties here is that parties don’t have party funds to finance political and even educational campaigns. Instead, politicians rely on the ever-friendly tycoons who are always ready to part with hundreds of millions with no strings attached.
He-he.
Bottom line – for as long as parties are unable to fund themselves and their candidates, they will be unable to enforce party discipline. And for as long as they cannot enforce party discipline, every election cycle we will see politicians turn coats as easily as a millennial change his profile picture on social media.
Personal: Happy birthday Bobby Manzano; Atty Charlie Yu; Dessa Quesada-Palm; Simon Dante ; Joey Peralta; Rep. Vilma Santos Recto of Batangas 6th District mother of Lucky Manzano; Siot Tanquingcen and Reynel Hugnatan from Joseph Astrud Pineda; Kagawad Rowena Rose Cartativo of Barangay Santolan, Pasig City; Punong Barangay Hilario Constantino of Barangay Poblacion 1-C, Imus, Cavite; Punong Barangay Renante Dones of Barangay Tanzang Luma 1, Imus, Cavite; Governor Susan Yap of Tarlac; Katherine Ignacio; SK Treasurer James Lawrence Santos of Bonga Mayor, Bustos, Bulacan; ma Mariz Almazan; Councilor Karl Paguio of Quezon City 6th District; Dra. Armida Villaverde Cruz; Vice Mayor Hermoso Ornopia of Kalayaan, Palawan, Kapitan Cesario Magpantay of Barangay Bagumbayan, Tanauan, Batangas, Susan Carpeso from Jacquelyn Carpeso; Rev. Fr. Roman Santos, OP; Caesar Vallejos; Martin Ludwig Espenida son of Noel Diño Espenida; Rene Napenas; Franco Mendoza Daza; Sebastian "Baste" Duterte; Mcoy Fundales; Harley Vannah wife of Henry Evans R. Lacerna; Belen Sumbillo; Eden Azarcon; Imus Satellite Office OIC Sylvia de Jesus, Imus City Administrator and Human Resources and Management Unit Head Nahney Alce; Kurt Lucas son of Ian Lucas; Punong Barangay Lorenzo Cesar F. Veranga of Barangay Zone 3 Poblacion, Atimonan, Quezon; City Secretary Edsel Castillo of Tanauan, Batangas; John Kim Batallones from Dios Es Soberano; Wayne Galang; Casey Silva daughter of Cristine Marie Pago Silva happy 82nd birthday Alice Pablico from Joan Ponce; get well soon daddy from Pastora Sara Jane Alejandro; Uunahjaey Enriquez daughter of Janet Gatchalian and Rose Marie Ried Eugenio
No comments:
Post a Comment