POLITICAL DYNASTY IN THE PHILIPPINES
by Roselle D. Quiao It is no secret that Political clans or “dynasties” in the Philippines have been present all throughout the years. Although this fact remains one of the most obvious detail of the government office, not all of the countrymen are well-aware of its effects on the progress of the country. |
The documentary above shows informative details about the political dynasties in the country.
In the year 2013, Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPeg) conducted a study about political dynasties and found out that “94 percent of all provinces in the Philippines have political dynasties, with an average of 2.3 political families per province.” Meaning, families who hold elective offices have been in control of political power and public resources within their midst. But that’s not the only pressing issue here, not only do the political clans dominate the government, they also control the business. One example would be the Cojuanco-Aquino clan. Our current president hails from a family of individuals serving the government, dominating the media, and even business. His late father was a senator, while his mother was our former president. His sister, Kris Aquino, is known as the Queen of All Media in the Philippines. His uncle, Eduardo Cojuanco Jr., is the chariman of San Miguel Corporation, one of the most-established companies here in the country. There are a lot more but there are more pressing issues to focus on.
Back when President Benigno Aquino III was just a senator, he made a lot of bills but not a single one was implemented into a law. Now, he’s a president who is facing a lot of criticisms regarding his contributions and leadership due to his incompetency and selfish tendencies. Sure, he passed laws now that he's a president, but his campaign theme "Daang Matuwid" isn't really making fast progress or if there is one. On another note, his father and mother made a lot of contributions to the country. I believe he didn't inherit the compassion those two individuals have because of a lot of incidents regarding his interests. For example, the time when he'd rather go to the opening of a car show in Laguna than the funeral of the SAF 44. Every controversial thing he does or problems he faced that is being reported in the news is making a lot of people question his sincerity and competency because of how he deals with it. Another example is the Mamasapano Incident wherein he still used a suspended officer.
But, why do people still vote for individuals in a Political Dynasty? In order to understand that, let us first go back to the history of the political system in the Philippines.
Its first appearance went far back in the pre-colonial period when the pre-colonial community consisted of datus, rajas, and maharlikas who ruled as the leaders and role models of the society. Because of their ties with their relatives, they exhibited the same skills they have. People believed that leadership, intellect, and the makings of a leader, runs in the blood. And that's exactly why Political Dynasty still exist in the modern society. The mass think that all the qualities the person who contributed a lot in the society can be passed to his or her relatives. And because of that, political clans continue to dominate the place because a number of people still continue to have this mindset.
But the truth is, qualities of a good leader isn't passed on to their relatives. Atleast, not all. Just look at the younger relatives of older government officers. They don't exhibit the exact same mindset and other ideals because they are not the same person. On another note, the tradition of our old political system wherein the mantel of being a leader is passed on to the relatives isn't doing good. And that is why it is up to us to inform our countrymen that choosing someone to be in a higher position due to his or her familial background isn't wise. One must show his or her qualities as a leader before being put in an influential position. Progress will be slow if we vote for a person hailing from a popular or well-known background without thinking or confirming his or her competency or intellectual capablities.
REFERENCE:
http://www.rappler.com/nation/57370-anti-political-dynasty-bill-house-plenary
http://www.up.edu.ph/it-runs-in-the-family-the-making-of-political-dynasties-in-the-philippines/
Back when President Benigno Aquino III was just a senator, he made a lot of bills but not a single one was implemented into a law. Now, he’s a president who is facing a lot of criticisms regarding his contributions and leadership due to his incompetency and selfish tendencies. Sure, he passed laws now that he's a president, but his campaign theme "Daang Matuwid" isn't really making fast progress or if there is one. On another note, his father and mother made a lot of contributions to the country. I believe he didn't inherit the compassion those two individuals have because of a lot of incidents regarding his interests. For example, the time when he'd rather go to the opening of a car show in Laguna than the funeral of the SAF 44. Every controversial thing he does or problems he faced that is being reported in the news is making a lot of people question his sincerity and competency because of how he deals with it. Another example is the Mamasapano Incident wherein he still used a suspended officer.
But, why do people still vote for individuals in a Political Dynasty? In order to understand that, let us first go back to the history of the political system in the Philippines.
Its first appearance went far back in the pre-colonial period when the pre-colonial community consisted of datus, rajas, and maharlikas who ruled as the leaders and role models of the society. Because of their ties with their relatives, they exhibited the same skills they have. People believed that leadership, intellect, and the makings of a leader, runs in the blood. And that's exactly why Political Dynasty still exist in the modern society. The mass think that all the qualities the person who contributed a lot in the society can be passed to his or her relatives. And because of that, political clans continue to dominate the place because a number of people still continue to have this mindset.
But the truth is, qualities of a good leader isn't passed on to their relatives. Atleast, not all. Just look at the younger relatives of older government officers. They don't exhibit the exact same mindset and other ideals because they are not the same person. On another note, the tradition of our old political system wherein the mantel of being a leader is passed on to the relatives isn't doing good. And that is why it is up to us to inform our countrymen that choosing someone to be in a higher position due to his or her familial background isn't wise. One must show his or her qualities as a leader before being put in an influential position. Progress will be slow if we vote for a person hailing from a popular or well-known background without thinking or confirming his or her competency or intellectual capablities.
REFERENCE:
http://www.rappler.com/nation/57370-anti-political-dynasty-bill-house-plenary
http://www.up.edu.ph/it-runs-in-the-family-the-making-of-political-dynasties-in-the-philippines/