Shameless greed for power: Trapos' family dynasties

This country is going to regret again putting the destiny of the nation at the hands of a few families, who control power, money and decision-making in this supposedly vibrant democracy in Asia.

For instance, how many members of Senator Bong Revilla's family are running for public office? How many Remullas in Cavite are aspiring for various offices, on top of two Cabinet posts already occupied by the Secretary of Justice, older brother Boying and of DILG, Johnvic? How many Marcoses are running in Ilocos Norte and for national posts? How many Romualdez in Leyte and Dutertes in Davao? How many Gatchalians, Entradas/Ejercitos, Cayetanos and Villars are all in government?

Since when has this country become a huge family corporation, with interlocking directorships and conflicts of interests? Are trapos transforming the whole nation into a family cooperative and national and local politics as a family business empire? Where in the world can you find a country where in a 24-member national senate, there are two Villars, mother and son, soon to be brother and sister; two Cayetanos, sister and brother, two Estradas and Ejercitos, the good one and the better one. Soon, that august body will have three Tulfos: Raffy, Erwin and Ben. Happily, Digong, Polong and Baste changed their mind, and did not run for senators, and hurried to defend their remaining bastion in Davao.

In Ilocos Norte, it is always a Marcos or a Keon or a Barba, the Farinas opposition has been demolished. In Ilocos Sur, it is always a Singson. Chavit is running for the Senate and his children are being assisted by minions and underlings to continue to dominate the field for both Congress and the LGUs. The Ortegas remain in control of La Union for the longest time. The congressman is now of the fifth generation. The Dys and the Albanos continue to dominate Isabela. In Metro Manila, Valenzuela is the kingdom of Gatchalian, Caloocan, of Malapitan, Mandaluyong of the Abalos clan, Las Pinas of the Villars and the Aguilars, Paranaque of the Olivares and Makati of the Binays.

The Tiangcos still dominate Navotas, and the Sandoval dynasty controls Malabon while Pasay seems to be forever under the Calixto-Rubiano dynasty. Marikina is the kingdom of the Teodoros now being challenged by the Quimbos, and even by senator Koko Pimentel who is term-limited for the Senate. San Juan is no longer in the hands of the Estradas but now controlled by their erstwhile allies, the Zamoras. Pasig has already been liberated from the decades of domination by the Eusebios and is now under Vico Sotto. But Taguig continues to be under the control of the Cayetanos while Makati is dominated by the Binays.

Vilma Santos, in her seventies, and on top of her husband's being in the Cabinet, as Finance Secretary, is running again for Batangas governor with her son, Luis (with Edu Manzano) as vice governor and her other son Christian (with Ralph Recto) running for congressman. Tagaytay City, since its founding has always been under the control and domination of the family of Senator Francis Tolentino. Cavite is being shared between the Remulla and the Revilla family dynasties. Camarines Sur is being controlled by the scions of the old kingpin Luis Villafuerte, and Chiz Escudero still controls Sorsogon. The Tans and the Dazas dominate Samar and Northern Samar.

Masbate has a new name: Masbate Kho because all the elective offices, in the legislative and executive are being controlled by one family: the Khos. The Velascos still control Marinduque. The Defensors and the Garins still dominate Iloilo, the Lacsons dominate Negros Occidental, the Garcias in Cebu, the Auentados in Bohol, the Espinas in Biliran, the Romulados in Camiguing and the Romualdez, Veloso, Cari and Petillas dominate Leyte. In Mindanao, the same old family dynasties control power and money, both the Christian and Muslim areas.

There is no real democracy in the Philippines. Free voting is a farce. It is traditional politics of money, influence, terrorism and persecution of political enemies that prevail. If you do not belong to the party in power, you are either suspended or dismissed with perpetual disqualification from holding any elective or appointive office. The truly honest, competent and conscientious candidates are going to lose. Family dynasties, vote buying, influence-peddling and political harassment are the names of the games.

This is no longer the country that we can all be proud of. We are being dominated not by the most brilliant and the most trustworthy, but the ones with superior power, "pera" and Palace-connection. I am migrating to Ethiopia or to Afghanistan. Pudsan man.