2025 Polls, Duterte-Marcos proxy war

The coming elections shall be a war between the solid north and the liquefied south. The day when the INC and the Kingdom of God shall meet the forces of the Palace and the allies of the House. The coming elections are crucial as they shall lay the predicate for the grand pintakasi in 2028.

The coming elections is, above all, a clash of forces between the richly-funded, strongly entrenched, pro-USA BBM administration and the ragtag, less-funded, not-too-well-organized, and pro-China alliance of former president Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter, the vice president.

The Palace wants a 12-zero sweep for the administration, but that’s impossible. Instead, it’s highly probable Willy Revillame will most likely dislodge Benhur Abalos, highly-qualified but unpopular. The masses, brainwashed by social media, would rather swallow Revillame and Philip Salvador, who are definitely popular, and never mind the need to be qualified.

This is what I really abhor in Philippine politics, the kind of mentality our voters are still manifesting as shown in surveys. Most of the "hoi polloi" don’t demand competence, credentials, or qualifications. They want the Senate to be a platform for jesters, entertainers, retired actors, boxers, and TV and radio announcers.

The pro-US forces being endorsed by the BBM party includes Abalos, former DILG secretary, a former Mandaluyong mayor, and a member of the Abalos dynasty, together with Abigail Binay, former Makati mayor and a member of the Binay Family whose father, mother, and brother used to be mayor of Makati and whose sister is an incumbent senator. There’s also Camille, sister of an incumbent senator and daughter of another senator, the perfect example of a dynasty, the Villar Family of Las Piñas.

The pro-China team of the Dutertes includes incumbent Senator Bato dela Rosa, allegedly linked with PRRD's reported cases of extra-judicial killings. Another is Bong Go, who isn’t a doctor but who styles himself as a champion of healthcare.

Another probable winner is actor Philip Salvador who, like Revillame, also aspires to join Lito Lapid, Robinhood Padilla, Bong Revilla, Jinggoy Estrada, Raffy Tulfo, and other entertainers and TV/radio characters. As if we don’t have enough jesters in the Senate. The Duterte camp desperately needs more senators to acquit Sara once the twentieth Congress is in place.

BBM's team includes Pia Cayetano, whose brother Alan Peter used to be a favorite of the Dutertes. The Cayetanos have deteriorated into a dynasty and have taken courses contrary to the ideals of their late father, Renato Cayetano. There’s also Lapid, Tito Sotto, Manny Pacquiao, Erwin Tulfo, and Revilla.

The choice of candidates of both camps begs the question: what kind of standards does both sides have in choosing future legislators, and what values are they looking for in a senatorial candidate? The Duterte team even adopted Quiboloy who is facing serious charges of trafficking and serious illegal detention, among others.

The Duterte group offers no better alternative. By endorsing Revillame and Salvador, they only confirm our impression that they aren’t for competence but popularity. All they need is victory, not integrity, excellence, and good governance. By endorsing Quiboloy, the Dutertes show they aren’t for good government.

Their respective senatorial slates don’t offer better options for Filipinos. Both teams are either pro-US or pro-China. None of them are pro-Philippines. They are pro-dynasty, pro-capitalist. Their goals run counter to the dream of all Filipinos to build a just and humane society.

These candidates aren’t pro-life, pro-family, pro-labor, pro-social justice. They’re all trapos running only to protect their business empires and goals. What tragic fate is our country nowadays facing that we are here and now being pushed to the wall?

The better option for Filipinos are genuine nationalists and men and women of integrity like Bam Aquino, Kiko Pangilinan, Heidi Mendoza, and Sonny Matula. Perhaps Ping Lacson can still bring hope because he’s the only senator who refused pork barrel. I’m tempted to go for Luke Espiritu and Leody de Guzman, France Castro, and Arlene Brosas. But I’m not sure if I’m ready to embrace the extreme left.

Filipinos shouldn’t be pushed to choose only between the devil and the deep blue sea. We need to choose only those who are competent, conscientious, and have integrity. The Philippines doesn’t deserve to swallow the BBM team or to accept Duterte's ragtag army of sourgraping advocates of hopelessness.

We need to find a new path of hope, truth, and justice. The 2025 polls are crucial because the results shall influence the 2028 presidential polls. Another mistake in 2025 shall spell doom in 2028.