Political Dynasties How And When Will It End?

Clans have governed most places in our country and despite the prohibition of a political dynasty in our constitution this practice had gained roots and control on their respective areas for decades.

As politics is starting to heat up due to the coming national election next year, political clans are now again making their presence felt all over the country.  In some places not only one member of a family has filed for candidacy but several members from grandparents to parents to children, cousins, uncles, aunties and in laws are vying for various local and national positions in the government brandishing the political dynasty defense of “let the people choose” against criticisms hurled on their un-ending quest for political power.   And worst is, family members who cannot make it to regular positions have managed to encroach into party list representative positions which are supposed to be allotted only for marginalized sectors of our society.

Our constitution has a provision against political dynasty but the lack of enabling laws had made this provision ineffective.  And the ones who should set the rules pertaining to this provision are our lawmakers from the lower and upper houses of congress whose members are mostly coming from various political clans throughout the whole Philippine archipelago.  Hence, it would be like aiming for the moon to expect that they will initiate and sincerely exert efforts to create an enabling law that will limit or put an end to this practise.   With this fact could we anticipate them to heed their conscience and create a law that would hinder or bring to an end their reign and easy access to financial gain?

It is true that decision is on the hands of the people but it would be a herculean task for a deserving newcomer to stand up in a competition when all the odds are against him.  The clans in power has control of the political machinery,  the clout and the money that will make an unknown fade into insignificance even before the political battle heats up.  In places particularly in remote provinces where the lands and  livelihood resources  are almost owned and controlled  by families and relatives of these political clans, the people’s right to choose whom to vote is also under this control as doing otherwise would mean a loss of domicile and source of income  for their respective families.

Now, we only have to wonder how and when this exercise will end when the people who should set and implement the laws are thwarted by personal interests and ambitions to initiate and make decisive actions.  The unknown but deserving aspirants deserve a fair chance to compete and prove their worth but this chance are easily snuff out by the powers that rule which is, the dominance of clans who have established roots and hard-core comrades in the area for decades.