‘Personality politics with 6-year governance cycle’ must end

The race is on and next May, we will be choosing from six or seven “winnable” presidential aspirants as our new leader. While this is customary, the sad part is that once again we will experience the vicious cycle of electing a popular president with very short term agenda.

We’ve seen six years of President Cory, six years of President Ramos, two years of President Estrada, nine years of President Gloria Arroyo, six years of President Noynoy Aquino and Pnoy and now six years of President Duterte. In the past 35 years, government policy changed every administration. The incoming President throws away policies of the outgoing. No wonder our country is in moribund state, applying band-aid policies, while the whole world modernizes to our detriment.

Why? Our “broken political system” manipulated by “vested interests” is the main culprit, promoting just six year cycles of leadership. No road map or long-term government policy to ensure our country’s direction for the future generation.

Everybody avoids amending many “irrelevant aspects” of the 1987 Cory Constitution. Nobody wants return of “two political party system” successful in the 1950s of the great Nacionalista and Liberal parties. They choose thru conventions/primaries the best of the best presidential, vice presidential, senatorial and congressional candidates. Vital but long-term government policies are decided not on personality basis but on “political party platforms”, thus ensuring continuity of our people’s future.

We have now this crazy personality-based multiparty system, producing so many aspirants for President (there are 97 this year and most are really unqualified) . Instead of having just two or three very strong “political parties”, like the Republicans or Democrats in the US, Labour Party and Conservative Party in UK, Labour Party, Liberals and Nationals in Australia, we have tailored-fit political parties which are dime a dozen.

This is why I am seriously watching presidential candidates Ping Lacson, Manny Pacquiao, Isko Moreno, Bongbong Marcos, Leni Robredo, and Bato de la Rosa on their platforms, directions in solving once and for all our very serious problems. No motherhood statements, we only need a “few-points agenda” that must include amending the Cory Consititution in their first year in office, particularly economic provisions and return of two party system”. We must immediately correct and update its infirmities and “remove’ vicious cycles of political inutility.

But will these presidential aspirants have enough love for country and bravado to do this? Remember they are supported financially by political benefactors from mostly very rich families and allies who continue to enrich themselves from our failed “political and economic systems”.

If these candidates remain tight-lipped and avoid the issue of amending the Constitution, then It is safe to assume that he/she prefers the “vicious six year governance cycle” from Cory to Duterte. Personally, this would tell me these candidates are not really for the long term future of this nation and people but lusting on the six years of “power” and “vast resources” of the Presidency.

Vice Mayor Lacuna vs businessman-lawyer Alex Lopez in Manila

The much awaited clash between Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna and Tondo Rep. Manny Lopez took a new turn after the latter decided to concentrate on his reelection in Manila’s first district. He thanked the President for endorsing him as PDP-Laban’s mayoralty candidate in Manila but was granted permission to run for reelection.

In his stead, Rep. Manny Lopez endorsed the candidacy of his brother businessman-lawyer Alex Lopez, together with Rep. Cristal Bagatsing, and five former solons—Amado Bagatsing, Sandy Ocampo, Harry Angping, Zenaida Ongpin, and cousin Carlo Lopez.

Actor Raymond Bagatsing will run as Atty. Alex’s vice mayoralty candidate under the joint PDP-Laban-Kabaka political parties.

Meanwhile, bad blood politics brews in Marikina as District 1 Rep. and former MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando faces erstwhile ally Mayor Marcelino Teodoro.

Fernando is running under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), ousting Teodoro from the party. Their tiff stemmed from a complaint against a reclamation project along Marikina River that allegedly caused flooding in the area last year.