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Friday, March 29, 2024

Forming a Senate slate

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If we had honest-to-goodness political parties, forming a Senate slate for the consideration of the entire archipelago would take a logical process.

But political parties in this country defies reasonable definition.  The closest description one could make of it is that it is a “barkadahan.”  Parties or coalitions in this country are also temporary alliances, good for six years or sooner, depending on the fortunes of the president, or his chosen successor.

Though one could criticize the political set-up we had before martial law, we at least had a semblance of choice: the Nacionalistas or the Liberals.  Both parties would cobble up a Senate slate on the basis of a party convention, where nominees for inclusion in the slate are vetted and eventually voted upon.  Sometimes the choice of a slate are left to an Executive Council of the party which is composed of major party leaders  from the different regions of the party.

Thus, prior to martial law, we always had an Ilocano, a Pampango or Central Luzon candidate, a Tagalog, a Bicolano, Ilonggo, Waray, Cebuano, a Christian Mindanaoan, and a Muslim, or closest approximations thereof in the mix of candidates for a Senate slate by either the NP or LP.

The Cory constitution did away with that regional, or call it ethno-linguistic balance.  As a result, many regions feel left out both in the division of budgetary allocations as well as in representation.

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Take a look at the present Senate.  The Senate President is from Christian Mindanao.  The Senate President pro-tempore is from Batangas.  The Majority Floor Leader is from Nueva Ecija and Cebu, although known more as a Quezon City politician.  The graduating senators by 2019 are Chiz Escudero (Bicol), Gringo Honasan (Bicol), Loren Legarda (NCR and Antique), Antonio Trillanes (NCR and Bicol).

The reelectionists are: Grace Poe (NCR), Cynthia Villar (NCR), Sonny Angara (Aurora), Bam Aquino (Central Luzon), Nancy Binay (NCR), and JV Ejercito (NCR).  Rep. Pia Cayetano (NCR) seeks to return to her Senate seat.

The remaining senators are: Ping Lacson (Cavite), Dick Gordon (Olongapo) Franklin Drilon (Iloilo), Joel Villanueva (Bulacan), Sherwin Gatchalian (NCR), Kiko Pangilinan (NCR), Risa Hontiveros (NCR), Manny Pacquiao (Sarangani), and Migs Zubiri (Bukidnon) and Leila de Lima (Bicol).

Ten are from the National Capital Region.  Three are from Bicol.  Two are from Southern Tagalog, with four from Central Luzon.  One represents the Ilonggo-speaking Region 6. It is nice to know we have three Mindanaoans, but there is no Muslim or indigenous minority representative.

There is no Ilocano, the third largest ethno-linguistic group in the country. There is no Waray, no Muslim, no one from the Montanosa.  Worse, no one speaks Bisaya, the largest ethno-linguistic group in the country.

This is the best reason why we need to elect our senators by region, or if we federalize, by state.  Another reason is ensuring that we elect senators not on the basis of popularity alone, which for the last five Congresses of the Republic, has become the metric for a seat among the “august” 24.

A real political party would winnow the chaff from the grain, and present not only regionally-representative, but highly qualified and outstanding personalities.  Thus did we have a pre-martial law Senate composed of brilliant legal and professional luminaries, so unlike the present.

Now fast-forward to the forthcoming elections next year, the candidates for whom would have to register as such by the first week of October this year, just six months away.

Of the reelectionists, four are from NCR.  Add Pia Cayetano of Taguig, who will return to the Senate, and you have a fifth.  Harry Roque is from Pasay as well as Bataan.  Francis Tolentino is from Tagaytay (Southern Tagalog).  Bam Aquino and Sonny Angara would represent Central Luzon.  Bong Go is from Davao (Christian Mindanao).  

Who else?  The Liberals are thinking of Erin Tanada (Quezon), Gary Alejano (Negros),  another NCR candidate in Mayor Herbert Bautista of QC, but there are few takers for additional seats.

It is good that Speaker Bebot Alvarez wants Sajid Mangudadatu to run, so there would be Muslim representation.  But the ranks from the House seem to be thinning.  I am told Albee Benitez would run for governor of Negros Occidental, where victory is easier.  Geraldine Roman is only on her first term as representative of Bataan, and re-election there is a cinch.  Karlo Nograles from Davao City would be an additional representative for Christian Mindanao, with Ilonggo paternity and Batangueno maternal ancestry.  Rey Umali is from Mindoro Oriental.  Majority Leader Rudy Farinas of Ilocos Norte would also make for an outstanding senator, but he has options either in his home province or in an appointive post.

It’s a paltry listing.

With so many reelectionists with by now household name recall, the Senate race for 2019 is daunting for newcomers with lower awareness ratings.  And quite expensive as well, the political “barkadahan” which passes off as parties in this benighted land not being known to raise enough money for its senatorial candidates.  As usual, it will be “kanya-kanyang kayod” for humongous advertising expenses and individual organizational spade work.

Who will be part of the senatorial slate of both the administration and opposition will be largely a function of the “tale of the surveys”, that is, how Pulse Asia and SWS rate different personalities in terms of their national awareness level and the conversion thereof to potential votes.

Never mind qualifications.  Never mind regional representation. 

This political system really sucks.

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