Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA) will always be a kingmaker in Philippine politics. Why? Because she has gravitas. It took balls to oust President Joseph “Erap” Estrada in 2001. It took even more balls to run again in 2004 despite the agreement with Cory that she would only serve the unexpired term of Estrada. She is the least popular President of all time.
We are all familiar with her story. Arroyo took the dose of political vengeance given to her better than a man because she kept silent the whole time she was in detention at Veterans. She is unlike Leila De Lima who has been made out to be a martyr and is not being held incommunicado. She only criticized former President Noynoy Aquino once. She played a large role in the campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte. When she was assumed to be quietly retiring during her last term as Congresswoman, she pulled a coup against the incumbent Speaker and went off being a part of a small circle of elected officials who have headed two branches of government.
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A meeting between the Marcos and GMA camps is significant because of the President’s statement the other day that Martin Romualdez wants to run for Vice-President. It is not entirely up to the President who his anointed will be because the power blocs that supported him since 2016 all have a say. Arroyo will definitely be abhorred at the prospect of a Ping Lacson Presidency. She would definitely have a personal opinion about who will continue the reforms which have been started. As an economist she surely has ideas about how the country can be set on the path to economic recovery in the midst of the pandemic.
If Inday Sara “Daughterte” is not running, then former Senator Bongbong Marcos would be the logical candidate. But there is also the possibility of a Duterte-Romualdez tandem because of the dearth of administration candidates for the Senate. Can you imagine a Senate where the two most senior members would be Bong Revilla and Lito Lapid? Senators Ralph Recto, Tito Sotto and Franklin Drilon are termed out. Lacson is eligible for re-election but indicated it is retirement or the Presidency for him.
Bongbong could follow in the footsteps of his father Apo Lakay and become Senate President. A majority is needed in both chambers if charter change is to become a reality. GMA can run for Congress again and become Speaker. If the political structure is changed to a unicameral parliamentary with a Prime Minister as head of state then GMA, Bongbong, and Sara can all run for parliament and we would finally have the continuity and consistency in policy foreign investors have long been pining for.
It is high-time that political vendetta take a back seat. It is only the Yellows and the Reds who refuse to be mature enough to work with the different political blocs. I have reiterated in previous articles the need for a mature and responsible opposition that will focus on being a fiscalizer and function as a partner also in nation-building.
Aquino and Marcos are long dead and buried. We should finally do away with their political ghosts. We should also bury the old opposition with finality on May 2022. Only then can we truly move forward at this crucial point when we are facing a global crisis of epic proportions.
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Politics will always be the best “sport” of the Filipinos…
We are addicted to elections…and we produce corrupt and useless leaders…
Yeah, the fact that writers here on Get Real Philippines love to say people should get over the “past,” yet are constantly talking and praising family members who are just kids of someone from the “past…” it all just shows how stupid Philippines politics really is.
The number one rule of “getting real” is to realize that a kid of some ex corrupt politician is 100% NOT the best candidate, but this site really isnt about getting real.
If people support a certain brand of leadership and they see a potential in the person, then what’s the problem?
Being “a kid of some ex corrupt politician” does not necessarily make one corrupt any more than being a kid of a revered martyred senator necessarily makes one a great leader.
Very true but it really depends on the attitude of the kids of the corrupt politician. Especially if they are now enjoying the “fruits” of corruption and do not show any remorse of what their parents did.
@Hero: Well it’s also depends if your statements is actually true or factual, believable and acceptable… and not just based on mere personal assumptions and biases, being a clueless victim of propaganda of the Yellowtards.
That ‘corrupt’ politician, persecuted for more than thirty (30) years (still counting) with more than a thousand cases filed in courts, both here and abroad, has ZERO conviction…
“The truth is like a lion. You don’t have to defend it. Let it loose. It will defend itself.”
The Yellows and Reds have no more place in the country’s political ecosystem. They should just carve out their own archipelago state in the Spratlys by taking on China head-on, since the real estate there is so important for the Yellows and the war-freak Reds just love the sight of blood.
When they feel they are losing the battle there, they can recruit the ASG from the South next. That will solve all the country’s long-time insurgency problems.
The list of potential players for 2022 is starting to get crowded with too many combinations and scenarios. Best guess is – Inday Sara will run and win; she’s just following the same “reluctant candidate” playbook which sealed his father’s ascent to the throne. Why else would she go with his dad in so many foreign diplomatic visits and have her story of punching the sheriff be repeatedly told by his dad in so many of his public speeches?
Knowing the Filipino’ propensity to vote for the reluctant dark horse over the obviously power hungry politician, the outcome for the 2022 presidential elections shouldn’t be too much of a surprise.