Lengthening shadows in Philippine politics

There's an adage that says it all, that a nation gets the kind of government that it deserves. When its ruling officials are on the average top-heavy with the dense, the kleptos, the "balimbings", and showbiz clowns, so does the body politic - the governed - deserves no better.

Take the ominous trend… Foremost is the supremacy of the money factor. No matter how brilliant or academically-qualified, or morally straight, with no money to buy votes, he can not get elected. Conversely, even a dimwit with wealth to burn is a sure winner.

It's no big deal why wielders of governance, and those still power-seekers, fight tooth and nail to get on the bandwagon in every election. Anyway, money spent to ensure victory, can easily be recouped with SOPs from contracts and projects, multi-million loan kick-backs, etc. Only next to business taipans or the lesser rich, or the yearly income from OFWs of almost $13 billion, the politicians form the nouveau riche, with few exceptions.

No need to look far to the national or provincial level… Even small cities and small towns anywhere, are in circus and carnival mood in the likes of the Barnum spectacle, with fired-up public servant wannabes all agog. Never mind if long-engrained family and friendly ties are asunder while jostling for election slots.

Not far behind is the monomania of perpetuating a political dynasty. From grandparents to grandchildren, from brothers and sisters to uncles/aunts and nephews/nieces and, not only by consanguinity, but down to relations by affinity, have become the vogue. It's no different from the dynasty of the royalty of old, down the lowest rank of the genealogical linkage. Thus, public service has become a privilege of heredity, a crown to bequeath.

Thirdly, the dark shadows continue to lengthen with the career exodus of showbiz/ebbing figures shifting to politics. Both GMA's Team Unity and Erap's Genuine Opposition have timely realized the rising anger of the electorate in saturating the Senate with showbiz falling stars. But there are still Vilma's Ralph Recto and Sharon's Francis Pangilinan as skirt-hangers, comebacking Tito Sotto, and neophytes Cesar Montano and Richard Gomez. In city/municipal slots, especially in the Capital Region and elsewhere, a lot of showbiz "has-beens" are joining the political circus.

Lastly, there's a growing trend to manipulate the simple-minded barrio officials into running as city or municipal councilors. In the local front, if one recalls right, it was Mayor Tomas Osmeña who first tapped a few barangay captains for the city council. In Mandaue City, the Ouanos did the same. And now, Jonkie Ouano is reportedly having about 1/3 in his ticket, while Jonas Cortes allegedly has one-half of his slate filled up by barangay captains. It's very likely that other cities and towns as well are fielding similar line-ups.

This is not to belittle the ability and potentials of barrio chiefs, but then, the electorate will raise eyebrows why other community sectors are not equitably tapped. It's not only for fear of city and municipal councils being saturated with just one sector of "honorable" wannabes whose orientation being limited to parochial clime and rural interests. It's also because their legislative functions have wider scope and stature, and, necessarily involve learned and deeper know-how in legislation and governance, say, lawyers, educators, engineers, etc.

And so, professionals with more fitting qualifications of diverse backgrounds ought to dignify the so-called "august" and "honorable" legislative bodies to assure in-depth sensible, knowledgeable, and wise ordinances and resolutions; instead of just being hand-picked "door mats" of the LGU executives.

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