Quest for a credible election Bishop denounces political dynasties

CEBU, Philippines - A Catholic bishop has denounced the continued existence of political dynasty in the country.

Bishop Gerardo Alminaza also scored the delay in the creation of a law that would implement the constitutional provision banning political dynasties.

With barely 77 days before the May 13 national and local election, the Church, in collaboration with the Commission on Elections and the Department of Education, continues its quest for a credible election through voters’ education campaign.

“People are always promised a bright future, but most often these remain unfulfilled,” said Alminaza, head convenor of the Visayas Clergy Discernment Group and one of the speakers during the Summit on Credible Elections 2013.

Alminaza said candidates should have platforms that respond to the needs of the marginalized sector such as the farmers, fisherfolks, informal settlers, vendors, drivers, workers, youth, elderly and persons with disabilities.

Archbishop of Cebu Jose Palma said that conducting a meaningful and credible election is a challenge, hoping that “we will be a better community, a better government and a better people.”

“We hope to have an election that is truly reflective of the will of the people,” he said.

Political dynasties can be succession on the same line or family and powerful or influential group of family in government which continues in existence for a considerable time.

The 1987 Constitution’s Section 26, Article II states that the State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined law.

Politics controlled by few 

Politics in the Philippines has been under the control of a few notable families, said Aminaza, the auxiliary bishop of Jaro, Iloilo.

He said that many have called for the Congress to pass the Anti-Dynasty Law, but these political dynasties which have consistently dominated by Congress simply killed all attempts to pass anti-dynasty bills since 1987.

“As monopolies in business, monopolies in politics limit the entry that can bring new ideas and offer better service. Political dynasties breed corruption and ineptitude. We are aggrieved that lawmakers themselves defy the law of the land by not following the mandate of our Philippine Constitution given 26 years ago to make an enabling law to ban political dynasties,” Alminaza said.

There are 178 dominant political families in the country excluding the local area, a hundred of which are “old elites” and 78 are “new elites” emerging from EDSA I in 1986 and 1987 post Marcos elections.

The House of Representatives and the Senate are also dominated by political families.

In the Partylist (15th Congress), 52 or 91 percent of the 56 seats are millionaires and multi-millionaires and 10 members came from a political clan.

In a separate press statement, Cebu City North District independent congressional aspirant Junex Doronio decried the proliferation of political dynasties that “blatantly mocks the Constitution.”

Doronio, a journalist, earlier hailed the Cebu Association of Political Science Organizations for spearheading a movement against political dynasties as he noted that such bold action has proven once more the idealism and incorruptibility of the Cebuano youth.

 â€œTwenty-seven years after we have toppled down a dictator and restored democracy – though still elitist in character – political dynasties and the traditional patronage politics continue to persist,” Doronio said.

 Doronio held a meeting with some of his barangay leaders at the Barangay Day-as Sports Center where he stressed the need for “new politics,” one that will do away with political dynasties and eradicate traditional patronage politics and vote-buying. — /JPM (FREEMAN)