The blood of few among our senators

As we are ushered into the political season (which observers call as the mid-term polls because it takes place in the middle portion of the term of the president), we also start to get a glimpse into some possibilities on how our future leadership may take form. In particular, I refer to the upper chamber of Philippine Legislature. It is of special interest to the nation as contending parties are completing their senatorial line-ups.

The politicians belonging to the opposition have announced that they are awash with winnable aspirants. According to them, a hand raised in endorsement by the president is a kiss of political death for which reason, no one, as the logic is presented, wants to have anything to do with the administration. All told, they claim that because every one desires to be included in whatever banner the opposition may carry, their number can even complete two 12-man teams. In comparison, they gloat (or jeer, depending on your stand) on the possibility that the administration, despite the heavy kitty that the party in power allegedly dangles, may not be able to fill their roster of candidates with high winning chances.

During the last few days that passed, names were mentioned as possibly making the line-up of the opposition. For instance, there was this city mayor in metro Manila, carrying the family of the former president, who, in a television interview, was so enthused in announcing that there was a clamor for him. And what was the reported clamor about? It was for him to take the place of his mother. Aha, my being naïve told me that the mayor only wanted to show to the world that being a senator was something one could inherit. So, the mother being at the end of her stint, had to be replaced by the stepson and that was why this mayor almost guaranteed inclusion in the roster.

Let us assume this mayor-turned-senator-aspirant is carried in the opposition line-up and let us further assume that he gets elected. What happens is that he will join his brother in the Senate. How blessed is this family to contribute two brothers in the formulation of laws for over 80 million citizens!

Another person who is bruited to be high in the list of opposition bets is a congressman coming from Metro Manila. There is no doubt that in many a verbal tussle during the session of the lower house, he, displaying a gift of tongue, has figured quite prominently. Who would ever forget that in heated discussions, this representative demonstrated a profound understanding of the structure of our government in much the same scholarly fashion that he showed a deep appreciation of the procedures with which to use in such debates.

With a heavy exposure in the two impeachment debates as well as in the emotional charter change discussions, this gentleman ranks fairly high. He is easily distinguishable from the rest of the aspirants and betting is on that he may make it to the winning column to become a senator of our republic. In that event, he shall join a sister in the upper chamber. How blessed is this family to contribute two siblings in the formulation of laws for over 80 million citizens!

One senatorial term ago, two Cebuano cousins occupied lofty and honorable seats among our senators. It was unprecedented because no time in our political past had two seats in the upper chamber been occupied by persons related to each other in the fourth civil degree although with a cousin failing in the 2004 elections to get reelected, only one was left to man the port, so to speak.

This Cebuano is likely to carry on the fight. He seems to be a shoo-in and so we assume that with the opposition entertaining the thought that they can steam roll past the administration candidates, our own man will sit again in the Senate. How blessed is this family to be always represented in the formulation of laws for over 80 million citizens!

We, Filipinos, relish being ruled by few families. Is this what is in store for us following the 2007 polls?

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