‘AND WITH THE CIRCUS NOW JUST MOVING INTO TOWN AND SETTING UP ITS TENTS, BRACE FOR THE CRAZINESS OF A UNIQUE TYPE OF POLITICS THAT ONLY FILIPINOS CAN PRACTICE.’
IN my book, no better Filipino word, or phrase, or expression sums up what we have made of our electoral system – particularly the party system and the filing of certificates of candidacy – than “katawa-tawa,” and no period in our short political history has made this situation more acute than the last six years.
For one, there is our laughable sense of “party loyalty” or “party discipline.” No such thing in Philippine politics. Party loyalty is only as good and as real as personal (individual or family) political and business interests, and that’s why a politician was LDP a decade ago, NP yesterday, PDP today, who knows what tomorrow (but RIP eventually). Why? Because there are no profound principles involved. Nothing about free enterprise vs socialism, or conservatism vs green politics, or state’s rights vs national government power, or whatever else you have dividing political parties in many countries of the world.
No such profound principles here.
Maybe in the beginning we had some: the federalistas vs the democratas, which morphed into the Nacionalista and its non-fraternal twin, the Liberals. The fact that politicians could be a Nacionalista in this election, a Liberal in the next, and then a Nacionalista again was plain and simple opportunism. Whichever party would offer you a slot on the ticket.
Whatever it took to win.
That’s been our politics almost from the get-go.
Parties, of course, choose their candidates via the nomination process. If you’re a fan of US politics, you know that this can be a drawn-out process involving the different State Democrat or Republican parties conducting their caucuses or primaries. That process culminates in a grand national convention which at times could be divisive but usually is a coronation. And then the candidates are so chosen for President and Vice President wait after Labor Day in September in the US, and the campaign to the November elections begins.
It was the same here for some time, albeit sprinkled with wine, women, and song. Tales of money exchanging hands at party conventions and the use of women, too, were common in the “olden times.” But one thing was clear: whoever was nominated as the party candidate.
It was, I think. Fidel Ramos in 1992 picked up where old politicians like Manuel Manahan left off. When Ramos was not nominated by the LDP (which chose House Speaker Ramon Mitra as its standard-bearer), FVR bolted, set up his Lakas-NUCD, and then narrowly beat Miriam Santiago – in an election that could have been won by Danding
Cojuangco had Imelda Marcos not entered the fray to split the so-called “Marcos vote.”
Since then, bolting one party to join another has become an acceptable move.
And it has gotten worse. Nowadays, of what value is a party convention? Recently the PDP (Cusi wing) organized a convention in Clark, nominated Rodrigo Duterte as its vice-presidential candidate (a nomination that was accepted) and then what? Duterte did not file and instead the one supposedly going to be the presidential candidate, Sen. Christopher Go, filed for the vice presidency. Confused? Go figure.
Admittedly there still is time for Duterte to change his mind and file his papers as a candidate for the vice presidency – and if he did change his mind this wouldn’t be a surprise to anyone.
And nowadays, what value is a filing of candidacy, when there’s such a thing as substitution and all, made popular by the substitution in 2015 of one Rodrigo Duterte for one Martin Diño who had earlier filed papers as a candidate for president. (Diño, of course, has long been rewarded with positions in government). It is, admittedly, part of political strategy, and that the law allows it is an acknowledgment that substitution can become necessary in certain instances. But, as we Filipinos have done so many times with other processes, practices, and traditions, this has now become warped, adding to the seeming mockery of the whole democratic process that ends with voters choosing form over substance.
That’s democracy, Philippine style. And with the circus now just moving into town and setting up its tents, brace for the craziness of a unique type of politics that only Filipinos can practice.
Katawa-tawa. And only in da Pilipinas!
Personal: Happy birthday Redy Darcen; Jason Carlo Cabenlan; Rev. John Patrick Pelonio; Kagawad Ramiro Cruz of Barangay Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City; Barangay Captain Frankie De Leon of Barangay Pineda, Pasig City; Fr. Oliver Manato; Madam Gelyn de Guzman; Rannie Nieva; Barangay Francisco Pacheco of Barangay Bancal, Meycauayan City, Bulacan; Denjylie Cordero; Tatard Santero; Djhoy Rosales; Mimi Mallari Laroza; Reymond Agbada; Franco Sarmiento Masakayan; ASAP production assistant Irene Margaret Bartolome; Cheska De Guzman; Marielle O. Boniel; Rich Tijam; Vice Mayor Lui Sebastian and Councilor Kat Marquez of Pandi, Bulacan, Atty. Ed Advincula, Imus City Information Officer and City Tourism and Development Office Concurrent Head Jay Saquilayan; Bishop Roberto Gaa of Diocese of Novaliches; Francisco Manding Ledama; Michelle Vito; Kenneth Deatras son of Bernie Deatras, Rep. Eric L. Olivarez of Paranaque 2nd District; Rep. Jeffrey Khonghun of Zambales 1st District; bebe Arlene Garcia get well soon from Rose Ann Shim; Ate Inday from MJoy Sumilhig Mañamosa; Kate Borgonia; Maria Luisa Picache from Tessie Lagman-Balboa; Ruby Tayag; Prof. Mahar Lagmay; get well soon Lody Santiago
