How political dynasties are born and stay in power

I’m very sure that this is just one among many letters written about the country’s political dynasties—the Marcoses in Ilocos, the Binays in Makati, the Abaloses in Mandaluyong, the Ejercitos in San Juan, the Eusebios in Pasig, the Revillas in Cavite, and the biggest of them all, the present administration. It is very timely that Amando Doronila, in his column on “the curse of dynastic recruitment” (Inquirer, 3/1/13), mentioned that it is not the best way of drafting political talents into public service; that it also leads to undemocratic outcomes, as well as political sterility.

I am trying to understand what could be the reason for this, a situation almost nonexistent in North America, or at least in British Columbia, where I lived for almost 40 years. Who anointed these families to stake their claim on their constituencies? Are the voters just complacent, or do these dynasties just have the machinery and resources to bombard media and therefore get maximum exposure months, if not years, before election time? Do opposition candidates find it futile to run just because their obscure last names carry no memory recall?

Where does the experience of these family members come from? Were they anointed since childhood by their fathers and forefathers to be heirs to the throne? Did they get enough exposure from sitting-in in political meetings with their parents or brothers, sisters and in-laws? In a country where face recall and star quality are a factor to contend with, it does not matter that one cannot express himself well, that one does not even know the issues. All that matters is that one shares the famous last name. It stretches further: When the son becomes mayor or congressman, various positions are created and given to the family members no longer in office. And they collect salaries from government coffers.

I was just recently given the runaround at City Hall where the ultimate decision on my case, which I wanted to be reconsidered, rested on the office of the mother of the incumbent. To no avail—it was a useless, futile exercise.

I know that these families will still be around for generations long after I’m gone, and we, the constituents, will find it very, very difficult to change this well-oiled machinery of political dynasties, unless we smarten up and cast our votes on May 13 to a deserving candidate that does not share a familiar last name. However, there is again that chance that a new dynasty will be created, and we’re back to the same vicious cycle.

—BETH TIOSECO,

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