“Am I asking for the impossible?”
The Philippines faces multifarious problems of poverty, joblessness and hunger. Because the country is prone to calamities and disasters, we have to contend with floods, landslides, billions of pesos lost in damages to infrastructure and agriculture, not to mention loss of lives. I am not mentioning problems we are now facing today because of tensions with China with its continuing aggression in the West Philippine Sea and constant bullying where fisherfolk are often deprived of their livelihood. Santa Banana, ordinary folk have to contend with inflation and high prices because of wars that are occurring in Ukraine and between Israel, Lebanon and Iran.
My gulay, with the coming of the usual midterm election next year, the bankruptcy of our political system adds to all these with the proliferation of people voted into public office simply because they are popular or think the people love them.
In the Senate race, for instance, we have characters running because they think the people love them just because they help them. There are hosts of game shows and broadcasters who help people with their problems. They want to be part of an institution like the Senate reserved for people well acquainted with the law and public administration. Santa Banana, there are candidates who believe that they should be senators because they are members of political dynasties! Actresses and actors are now making the Senate a huge Sampaguita Pictures. Soon enough we will also have comedians like Vice Ganda.
With due respect to my fellow lawyer who writes for the Freeman of Cebu City, Atty. Josephus Jimenez, he cited some candidates for public office. I agree with him when he said, “The best evidence of our political system’s desperate bankruptcy is the proliferation of actors, actresses, and comedians dominating our legislative and executive branches, including the local government units. The enactment of laws and their implementations are now being entrusted to some people who have never studied law or public administration.”
He said among them are the following:
“Manny Pacquio is the richest politician , next to the Villars… But the fact he is a world champion in eight different boxing categories doesn’t make him prepared as a legislator. He hasn’t studied Political Science, much less Political Law and Constitutional Law. He appears odd when facing such parliamentarians as Chiz Escudero, Alan Cayetano and Francis Tolentino… He should give way to the more competent candidates.”
“Wille Revillame is a good man. He has helped a lot of people… But that doesn’t make him prepared for the work of a senator. Philip Salvador is a fine actor….He belongs to a famous movie industry clan. But such credentials are not what are needed in the Senate. Lito Lapid is an excellent actor but he hasn’t performed enough in the Philippine Senate. By insisting to remain in the Senate, he effectively eased out the more qualified, the more competent candidates…. The same is true with Bong Revilla. This guy made politics his family business with his wife and sons all serving the government.”
“Erwin Tulfo should clarify his citizenship and explain to the people why the CA (Commission on Appointments) refused to confirm his appointment as DWSD secretary….Ben Tulfo should stay away from the Senate and should leave Raffy Tulfo there.”
“Vilma Santos must already be in her seventies. She should tell us why she is running again for Batangas governor and why she is taking her own son Luis as her vice governor. She should also explain why she is allowing her other son Christian to run for congressman, when this very young Recto has never experienced having served even as a barangay kagawad.”
“Even Zanjo Marudo and Nora Aunor are now running for party-list candidates. What is happening to our country?”
I am already 97 years old. I have seen the best and the worst of them in public office, presidents, vice-presidents, senators and congressmen. It is for this reason why I long for the days of Claro M. Recto, Lorenzo Tanada, Quintin Paredes and the like. Sadly, those are bygone days. After the coming election, we might have more actors, actresses, game hosts, and members of political dynasties in the Senate.
I may be asking for too much, but I believe that there should be amendments made to the Constitution on the qualifications of candidates running for senator. They must be parliamentarians, graduates of law or public administration. And first and foremost, there should only be one member of a family sitting as senators.
Am I asking for the impossible?
