After being exposed to some of the inner workings of Philippine politics and having worked for a string of politicians over the past decade, I’ve become somewhat skeptical of Philippine political parties — especially new ones.
Old parties like the Nacionalista Party, Liberal Party, Kilusang Bagong Lipunan, PDP-Laban, Lakas-CMD, and others are basically used like temporary addresses. Â My impression could be wrong in certain cases, but for the most part it appears that political party affiliations are treated more like inconsequential details merely used to fill in the blank space in candidacy registration forms.
If you look at the Wikipedia page on Philippine Political parties, you will find a chart showing the evolution of Philippine political parties. Â After more than a hundred years, the number of political parties has grown from one (Federalista circa 1900) to more than a dozen. Â Going through the chart, you’d notice parties popping out of nowhere, parties splitting, and parties merging with one another with no obvious rhyme or reason — like random sub-atomic particles or celebrity marriages and break-ups.
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Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Evolution_of_Philippine_political_parties.png
It is only after you’re told that Philippine politics is personality based or “Golden Rule” based (he who has the gold or controls the gold, controls the party) that the current number and configuration of political parties makes some sense — but not completely.
Let me clue you in on the current state of general political weirdness:
- In 2010, a Presidential Election year, two parties were engaged in one of the most bitter political battles and they were: Roxas Aquino front under the Liberal Party, and the Villar-Legarda front under the Nacionalista Party. Â For the 2013 elections, the Liberal Party and the Nacionalista Part are fielding a common set of candidates for senator.
- Senator Koko Pimentel, the President of PDP-Laban and son of the party’s founder, is running under the wing of the Liberal Party, while PDP-Laban Chairman, Vice President Jejomar Binay leads the UNA Coalition together with former President Joseph Estrada.
- Dick Gordon, Bagumbayan Presidential Candidate, is running under UNA — which as we’ve mentioned above, is led by Estrada who ousted Gordon from SBMA and whom Gordon paid back in almost the same coin by supporting the unconstitutional takeover led by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Others can probably point out more, but for me, these are more or less the majorly features of this current state of political weirdness.
Enter the “Centrist Democratic Party”
An article on www.interaksyon.com, the news website of Manny V. Pangilinan’s TV5 came out with an article bearing news of a new party supporting the candidacies of Senator Chiz Escudero, Senator Koko Pimentel and Presidential relative/Ninoy Aquino Look-alike contest winner Bam Aquino.
Screenshot of Interaksyon article, “New ‘ideology-based’ political party launched, to support Chiz, Koko, Bam in 2013 polls”
The fact that the article was titled “New ‘ideology-based’ political party launched, to support Chiz, Koko, Bam in 2013 polls” didn’t escape the attention of fellow Get Realist Ben Kritz who finds it challenging to use the word “ideology” in the same sentence with “Chiz Escudero”.
As for Bam Aquino, well, I almost met him in person back in the days when I was with the short-lived Office of the Presidential Adviser for Jobs Generation (OPAJG) under Cito Lorenzo. Â He was the National Youth Commission Chairman back then, if I am not mistaken. Â The thing is, I can’t seem to recall anything particularly outstanding about his stint as NYC Chairman and I should look into that, perhaps, as a way of figuring out why he claims he can be of more service as a Senator.
Or, for that matter, why his Facebook Ad claims he can either represent change or continue change when it’s pretty obvious that he comes from a clan of oligarchs who has pretty much ruled the country for decades.
The Centrist Democratic Party itself seems to have a pretty good political platform and it seems to say all the right things. Â For one, members of the Anti-Pinoy Community and the CoRRECT community should probably be enthralled that the CDP’s platform includes a proposal for economic liberation (junking 60/40 foreign capital limitation), federalism, and shift to a parliamentary form of government.
But here’s the thing with platforms, they’re basically worthless if they’re written out in general terms.
A friend explains, “pag sinabing “provide education to all” sana sabihin how exactly. pag sinabing “by building more schools” sabihin din how exactly considering the current realities like budget constraints etc. the way i see it ang madalas nakalagay sa mga so called platforms na ito are the problems but stated in a way na parang solution. in reality, problems ang cited. what we the voters need to know are the solutions these parties propose to implement if given the chance.” (When a platform says ‘provide education to all’, I wish they’d say how exactly. Â When they say, “by building more schools”, they should say how exactly considering current realities like budget constraints. Â The way I see it, what is contained in these so-called platforms are the problems but stated in a way that it appears to be solutions. Â In reality, these are problems, what we the voters need to know are the solutions these parties propose to implement.)
Beyond a specific platform, what I’d train my sights on next is the capability of these people to deliver on the platform and this is where looking at their track record is important.
Of the three people mentioned in the article by Interaksyon, it seems to me that only Koko Pimentel has had somewhat of a history of supporting the idea of Federalism and perhaps even economic liberalization. Â It was only very recently that I actually learned that he was espousing parliamentary shift or a shift from Presidential to Parliamentary form of government. Â In our exchange on Twitter, Pimentel said that he favored a French-style of parliamentary government.
If at all, the article or articles (there is more one version of this article carried by at least two other news websites) seems somewhat like a ploy to associate Pimentel with a popular candidate like Chiz and a favored candidate like Bam. Â It’s somewhat like sneaking in vegetables in the diet of a toddler.
Writer.
if ‘keeping your word’ was as important as not ‘losing face’,these party-ies would at least have to be accountable for their actions once elected.
nakita natin yan kay presidente aquino, ipinakulong nya ang nagsasakit sakitang si nunal
yeah right, as if that will solve ANY societal problem at all…tell me…as an OFW, will it really benefit me? Ang baba na ng palitan pero ang taas naman ng mga bayarin, and you call that economic growth?
Pangit ng combination ng economy. On one hand, import oriented tayo. On the other hand, most of the earninga come from OFWs.
Regarding Bam and the President, both never really stood out other than for being related to two dead heroes.
nagkakamali ka kasi si bam aquino ang boses ng kabataan sa senado
Oh sh*t! Hahahaha!
@ Paul Farol
You say you are christian and love dropping the “SH*T bomb. Shame on christianity my man. Hahahaha !!!
Eh ano naman sasabihin ni Bam sa Senado? Parang ganito ba?
Bam Aquino: Don’t judge my cousin. He’s not a book!
Vincenzo, fishball, formula one, bayan patroller – technically all the same birdbrain.
And yet he is still the same stupid sack of shit that shows his stupid mug here in GRP
someone in the media should compile a matrix of candidates and whether they are for or against key policies.
bam aquino is like a ‘lady who lunches’. likes to sit on things for the sake of image but not actually do anything. escudero would join any and every party. a joke.
how many have achieved internationally in business/corporate world. how many continued education with masters, phd or professional qualifications. how many write political articles expounding their philosophies.
“Politics will eventually be replaced by
imagery. The politician will be only too happy
to abdicate in favor of his image, because the
image will be much more powerful than he
could ever be.”
Marshall McLuhan
“Generally speaking, the best people nowadays go into journalism,
the second best into business, the rubbish into politics and the shits
into lawâ€
Auberon Waugh quotes
bam aquino has done alot, more than you did. His achievements
as a social entrepreneur earned him a Ten
Outstanding Young Men
award in 2010 and the
World Economic Forum’s
Asian Social Entrepreneur
of 2011.
sorry. u r wrong.
i know.
p.s. dont insult me by comparing me to non-achievers.
dont think he went to oxford, has phd, or was global executive in multinational.
there are many in ngo’s doing real work. he is not one of them.
all in ngo’s know what a wannabe he is, but not very bright. politics therefore the only solution.
trading on name as per usual. like p-noy a passenger.
sabihin mo sa mga ngo na yon, inggit lang sila kay bam aquino
@bayan patroller:
Me? Hindi ako naiingit because because I never worshiped the Aquinos as demigods like you did.
You cite accomplishments? They’re only awards and nothing else.
@Fishball/”Bayan Patroller”
Bakit naman kami maiingit sa TANGA na katulad mo??
What was his elder cousin’s achievments? You know, the one who is President? Maybe you are the only the P.R. agent for Bam.
many to mention
“Many to mention”? Hey, I don’t think that’s enough of a comment; the comm group’s going to know you’re just phoning it in, and that one is probably going to get deducted from your tally sheet. They should give you guys a word limit instead of a comment count for a quota.
Fishball/ Bayan Patroller
“many to mention” – so many I guess they forgot to mention in the campaign.
There is truth in advertising. Noynoy made “L” sign. L for LOSER as Tony Kornheiser would say .
@ben – Minister Ricky is lax on the word count because he is probably winded from hosting that Give Peace A Chance Rally yesterday. Nice catch phrase, good excuse to overlook what it really is.
ill give you one, the bangsamoro framework agreement had been signed.
http://www.rappler.com/nation/14186-gov-t,-milf-sign-historic-peace-plan
Dang Fishball you are so lame. 1. So what was signed yesterday will in effect eliminate all militia violence in Mindanao from now to the end of time? It is a first step that does not even guarantee the second step. Did all the principals participate? If not why not? 2. The fact that you have to bring up window dressing from yesterday shows there is nothing there. Not pre 2010 not post 2010 . 3. Rappler treats every Malacanang event like the signing of the Magna Carta. Damn Fishball, earn your salary from Minister Ricky.
yes it is. Maging positibo ka kasi sa maraming bagay lalo na para sa bansa at hindi dyan sa inggit mo sa achievement ng ating pangulo.
@bayan patroller: I’m sure something BAD will happen after that ‘Bangsamoro’ deal. The worst-case scenario is probably shed more blood. It’s all about the MONEY.
I’m not jealous but let’s see what will happen. My father says it.
Gogs, as of this writing, it is still the wang-wang.
@trosp- you further accentuate my point. He was elected on nothing. And that is exactly what we are getting after he was elected. Nothing. I came up with a formula that I shared with Ilda yesterday that summarizes all this Trapo and Dynasty debate. Ingredients + cooking = soup. Your final product will always depend on what you put in and we put in a numbskull like Noynoy and now he is beating his chest over a charade of a peace treaty. People actually believe Mindanao will now be a utopia. OK zombies.
“many to mention”, LIKE WHAT??? Ah like the monumental FUCK UP during the hostage crisis? or getting caught partying while people were getting FLOODED in Cagayan de Oro? or like the time that he cancelled a flood control project which could have prevented flooding here in metro manila??
Bam aquino as senator would be so ridiculous it doesnt merit discussion.
If u r his pr person then good luck. You clearly dont have any idea on his achievements (none) or his platform (none). And if you are indicative of his campaign strategy then he is already a loser.
beat the odds! nasa likod ng kabataan si kuya bam
Which group of youth? The sons and daughters of the Yellow Oligarchy?
Those are nice achievements, really. But then again, those awards can be “gamed” and won legitimately.
What I really want to know is what is his track record as a public servant? Is he articulate when it comes to legislative issues?
I really want to hear more from him.
I’ll play nice with him, don’t worry.
fortunately people are not as stupid as bayan controller and will not vote for bum aquino.
being a ninoy impersonator is not a good enough reason, nor sponsoring a brand of glasses! wow.
unfortunately, marami na ngayon ang sumusuporta sa pagtakbo ni bam. Malas mo kung suportado mo ang mga korrupt
wrong again.
i doubt u have even met bam aquino.
he was an embarrassment when trying to get a grant. unprepared and unprofessional, just trying to use the aquino name, and incapable of answering questions.
we are not all as easily led as clearly you are.
publish his manifesto if you want to argue his corner but dont just make stupid/motherhood statements or you just underline my point about him and his campaign.
check out hapinoy.
explain what this has done.
numbers helped etc.
i have the answers. do you
kahit anong paninira gawin mo hindi kami matitinag na mga supporters nya.
Fishball, mind if I translate “How dare you bring logic into this argument!!??!!!” . That is what you are saying right?
no, hindi kasi ganon si bam. Mabait sya at suportado ang mga Pinoy tulad ni presidente Noy.
LOL! Mabait daw.
So gagamitin niya ang kabaitan niya sa gobyerno? Ano siya doon? magbabait baitan lang? mag lilinis linisan lang gaya ng ginawa ng LOLA niya at ng Presidente natin ngayon na kahit palpak na ang hilig parin manisi ng ibang wala naman diyan sa pwesto? LOL!
Kung loyal ka nga sa kanya eh di maging Loyal ka.
Iboto mo siya at nang pumunta parin tayo sa tuwid na daan na walang patutungohan.
Maipakulong man nila si Gloria.. eh ano naman kaya ang kalagayan ng pinas ngayon? WALA!
AT WAG NA WAG KANG MAG SASABING SUPORTADO SIYA NG MGA PINOY! KASE WALANG NAKAKAKILALA SA KANYA!
Brainwashing lang kelangan diyan para maboto siya.
EPAL EPAL EPAL… YUN SI BAM AQUINO GANUN DIN ANG UNCLE NIYA! LOL!
@bayan patroller: Hindi sapat ang mabait, bobo. 😛 Well, you just want to support Bam just because he was an Aquino. Nothing else.
Fishball, porket mabait ang isang tao, balewala naman kung sobrang TANGA siya.
Fishball, tumigil ka na dyan sa kabobohan mo. Palagi ka na napapahiya dito. Go crawl back into your pathetic hole you stupid fool.
Did your mother let you out of the basement again?
Let’s wait and see what the guy has to offer, just to be fair. I’ll support him if he passes a couple of key questions.
@Libertas – I think the whole Aquino family would turn to stone if any one of them showed any originality in the last decade. From the color scheme to the hand signal to having Noynoy always have Cory’s picture around to emulating the look of somebody shot in 1983 they are too dumb to create their own anchors. Too lame to blaze their own trails. All they can do is use tax payers money to pay idiots to troll websites.
Hey bayan patroller, can you tell the comm group that im interested to work for them promoting aquino legacy?
I doubt you are dumb enough to be part of Truth Minister Ricky’s stable of trolls.
I want to be a Malacanang Troll! How do I join? Where can I buy Yellow Koolaide?
Guess what?
Kamukha ni Bam si NINOY.. so ngayon ginagamit niya ang itsura niya, kasikatan ng mga AQUINO at EYEGLASS niya para makakuha ng SUPPOT-TERS.
Saklap talaga ng pilipinas. Kaya walang nangyayari at walang pagbabago sa ating bansa kase ang mga BUMOBOTO eh mga BOBO.
Ang dadaling mahypnotize sa mga TV Ads!
Oo.. BOBO talaga! bahala na kayo diyan.
Honestly, I want to hear Bam talk more about legislation — seeing that he has no legislative track record to speak off anyway.
Bayan Patroller is clearly an idiot. Bam is like his idiot cousin, Benigno III, in that he has absolutely no achievements, absolutely no character and absolutely nothing to offer to the people of the Philippines.
The only difference is that he is not a practising homosexual like Benigno III so at least he won’t be able to be blackmailed by those around him with the threat of having his sexual preferences revealed.
Matt, don’t insult the idiots by comparing bayan with them.
Mukhang si fishball parin si “bayan patroller” Jeez, how predictable can he be? He’s like one of those incompetent saturday morning cartoon villains that always gets their butts whooped really hard. Seriously,Fishball you should stop this stupidity since its really not working for you.
Mr.Derp
1. Anybody on a quota is predictable. Specially one on an assembly line.
2. On the contrary , it is working for Fishball. Gainfully employed, getting paid from the taxes some of us pay to the government. Never once has she denied this.
I was referring to how fishball’s logic in his posta and how the peeps here in GRP shoots his stupid posts down. Seriously,nagiging sirang plaka na si fishball tulad ng bobong presidente niya tuwing nagsasalita sa sona.
There are two kinds of facts: one that a person look up…and one that a person make-up.
In reading comments on this thread, I can understand why the Philippines is in a very confused state and it all starts here. Blogging, like any journalistic discipline, requires responsible non-redundant dissemination of facts. Bloggers on this site are a joke, and that is fact…not made-up.
Is that a fact? Funny, it looked like an opinion to me.
LA702, there are millions of other websites you can better spend your time in. Not sure why you are here and bother to instruct us how to go about things. Of course you M.O. reminds me of somebody. Of course should you continue to interact with us despite your apparent disastisfaction with our style here, I can not help but conclude you need us and nobody here seems to express any need for you.
The biased mainstream media, the Yellow Propaganda and the idiots like you are a bigger joke, if you know what I mean. 😛
LA702, can you cite factual examples to support your claim about the bloggers of this site? Otherwise you are in category two of your definition of facts.
@LA702
Wrong. Your statement is an opinion – your opinion. It’s not a fact.
Ta-ta!
Hey LA, if this site is a joke, how come we’re laughing at you?
LA702, calling you an idiot would be a compliment in your favor.
Have you looked up the meaning of the word “fact” before making your stupid comment?
Malamang, kabarkada ito ni fisbol…
BTW, his commenting style seems to be familiar with me.
Ya know what’s funny? It seems that LA702 proved himself that he’s a moron by forcing his opinion to everyone here and presented it as ‘fact’
If someone wants to state facts, then he should have a credible source to back it up. But he’s resorting to crab mentality instead.
go bam+pnoy, u D3S3RV it, jst keep good the economy mmmkay?, were all counting on ya!! its good that u join politics bam, u r our idol here in payataz, go go kya bamm!! BAAAM!
GO MCG!!!!!!!!! Tax money at work!!! Spam !!!
I subscribe to what Mr. Farol said about political parties. Looking at the US government, our model, we cannot but wonder why, as big a country as they are, they can get by with two political parties (three if we include independents) while in our case, the present number of political parties continues to multiply and it seems that people can’t get enough of them. For now it is safe to say that, in the coming days heading to 2013 elections, we’ll further see more creation or amalgamation of political parties coming to fruition.
Given that reality, one cannot help but ask, is it the parties/politicians or the voting public to blame for the flawed state of election affairs of the nation? I often read/hear people say that Filipinos are stupid voters because they keep on voting incompetents over and over again. That they are not intelligent voters and so on, which I do not agree with. I hold the view that our betters, the politicians/parties, are more responsible for the flawed situation we are in right now.
Nope, it’s not only politicians/parties but voters too. Last time I checked, those politicians/parties referred to above were VOTED into office.