‘Politics with a heart’ an ideal yet to be realized

Philippine politics is archaic. It lives on the concept of democracy, which has come to mean the exploitation of the poor to further benefit the rich.

In February 2011, a certain Mischa wrote: Philippine politics and governance today are regarded by many as poor, corrupt and inefficient. We have heard stories of presidents, rich congressmen and bureaucrats driven by lust for power and pesos. At the same time, we hear stories of civilians being oppressed and wallowing in poverty. In the book titled “Politics of Change in the Philippines” by Kasuya and Quimpo, a number of questions are raised: Whether nothing has really changed in Philippine politics and whether there are feasible prospects for political and social change in the future.

More than this, politics in the Philippines has become the “opium of the poor.” Every time there is an election, the poor get a “high.” Election is the time when they are attended to like heroes by politicians, when they can ask the politicians anything they want, when they can invite the “high and the mighty” to become sponsors in weddings, baptisms and even funerals, when they become the envy of their neighbors, when they can rub elbows with them.

The poor get a “high” when their candidates win. This is also the time when they can “collect” in exchange for past favors extended to politicians (like helping them get elected). This is the time when the mediocre have an advantage over the professionals and even a real opportunity to replace them. This is the time when the supporter’s dream of a better tomorrow has a greater chance of being realized with “his/her ninong or ninang” in power.

As a result, the countrysides remain economically stagnant, controlled by political dynasties. Unless our politicians sincerely do something about this, the Philippines will remain a laggard in the eyes of the world even as it now claims to have the fastest growth rate in Asia.

Hope, however, springs eternal. There may yet be a movement that will change traditional politics to a “politics with a heart.”

—V.L. SONNY DOMINGO,

national chair,

Kapisanan ng Magsasaka, Mangingisda

at Manggagawa ng Pilipinas Inc.,

[email protected]