No to the incompetent and political dynasties

There was a mid-19th century political party in the US that was known then as one of the country’s two major parties, the other being the Democratic Party. It was the Whig Party. From the internet, I learned further that the Whigs began as a political faction that espoused, as among its principles, support of constitutional monarchism. Whew! It was this party that popularized the term Vox Populi, Vox Dei or roughly “the voice of the people is the voice of the gods”.

The internet furthermore reveals that this Latin quote is variously attributed to Robert Ferguson, Thomas Harrison, Daniel Defoe, or John Sommers. Today, this is what most of our politicians claim when victorious in their own electoral struggles. I am certain that those who will emerge as winners in the 2025 elections will also garrulously declare that their triumph is God’s will.

Many a poll survey in the past somehow goaded voters to prefer choosing those listed high up in the surveys instead of voting for the really qualified candidates. The popular candidates, mostly entertainers like movie personalities, almost always rated high in the surveys and they eventually became the choices preferred by the electors. That practice led to the election of the incompetent ones who because of their incompetence were (are) unable to do anything worthwhile.

To exemplify, let me cite the results of the 2022 senatorial elections. We voted as number 1 senator the very popular actor named Robin Padilla instead of the Bar topnotcher Florin Hilbay. Sadly, Atty. Hilbay lost. Was not Robin a convicted criminal who was granted executive clemency? Then, we also elected as number 3 senator a reported college dropout but popular radio-TV personality in the person of Raffy Tulfo instead of a dean of a law school --Chel Diokno. Even if Robin and Raffy could mouth the definition of law as “a reasonable rule of action promulgated by men of competent authority which should be followed but its breach entails penalty” I still believe that they do not have any academic understanding of the diverse principles of law. That situation makes them incompetent to do the senator’s profound responsibility of making laws and in effect that makes the salaries (and many other emoluments) we pay them as wasted expense of our taxes.

This early, the Filipino mind seems to be conditioned on who might get elected or who might God will to be voted upon. Indeed, poll survey results make us think that so-and-so candidates are likely to win, such that we better hitch our wagons to these stars. But, this early too, I do not really believe that some of those leading in the poll surveys are the candidates who might rightfully echo the Whig’s Latin claim Vox Populi, Vox Dei. I dare say it will be good for our country if we disregard the published poll surveys and instead we should dig deep into our hearts and study most carefully who are qualified to do the job.

A dzRH poll survey showed the 12 leading contenders. I will group them under two labels --the incompetent and the political dynasties. When they get elected, they will hasten all the more the poverty of our countrymen. In all honesty I think Senators Lito Lapid, #6 and Bong Revilla. #8 (is this his name in the official public records of birth?), TV personality Willie Revillame, #10 and boxing champ Manny Pacquiao, #5 are incompetent, all four of them. They are the ones who cannot participate in any meaningful discussion of any given bill. The next group includes partylist Representative Erwin Tulfo, #1; his broadcaster brother Ben, #3; Senator Pia Cayetano, #7; Representative Camille Villar, #9; and Mayor Abby Binay, #11. While the incompetent cannot add substance to a legislative deliberation, the political dynasties have been proven to promote more the interests of their families than that of their countrymen.