PolSci students ask public to end political dynasty

CEBU, Philippines - With the midterm elections fast approaching, political science students in Cebu urged the public to end political dynasties by voting for qualified new candidates.

Cebu Association of Political Science Organizations (CAPSO), in a forum at the University of the Philippines Cebu, discussed the disadvantages of having one family name rule the government.

The forum was attended by students from colleges and universities in Cebu.

“As political science students, it is our responsibility to inform the public about the ill effects of political dynasties. It has been the practice for a long time and we feel the need to stop this system which is clearly unconstitutional,” University of the Visayas (UV) Political Science Society chairman Marlon Magdadaro told The FREEMAN.

Former Cebu City councilor and UV political science professor Atty.Aven Piramide acted as the resource speaker.

“Removing political dynasties is very difficult. But the most difficult fight must be fought,” he told the students.

The activity, aptly entitled “Revisiting the Definition of Political Dynaties”, is part of the Cebu Political Science Students’ Congress 2013 evolving on the theme “Changing Paradigms: Responsible Citizenship and Cultivation of Initiatives for an Inclusive Local Development.”

The speaker presented to the students the difficulty to correct this “unconstitutional” practice because lawmakers themselves are guilty of being in a political dynasty.

“Dynasty is the succession of leaders coming from one family. It cannot be defined politically now because the members who are going to write that law are political dynasty members themselves. You change them and we will have that law,” Piramide explained.

As a former public official himself, Piramide acknowledged the difficulty in “playing too clean.”

“I suffered politically but I stood by my decision to leave the political party. Because the moment I do something that is not right, people will forget me. I don’t need my political future, I need my family name clean. I want my family to cherish a name that is honored and respected,” the full time professor said.

To finally address this political concern, he urged the public not to be passive and stand against it.

“It has to be aggressive. You don’t have to be palatable with this. This issue is very hard. You must make a very rigid stand. You cannot please any party. The group of PNoy, the group of UNA? You cannot please them because they are the carriers of the political dynasties. And you have to be hard on this. You don’t have to please them,” hexplained.

During the open discussion, the issue of his wife also being a former councilor was brought up.

“It was not a dynasty because she ran for office nine years after Ifinished my term,” Piramide said.(FREEMAN)