Some Cavite residents on Thursday defended the reign of political families in their localities, saying that political dynasties are not necessarily to blame for widespread corruption.
At least 10 individuals put forward their position during the first ever public consultation conducted by the House suffrage and electoral reforms panel on at least 24 pending anti-political dynasty bills.
The public consultation was hosted by Carmona, Cavite Mayor Dahlia Loyola.
“Sa bayan ng Carmona, kami po napakamapalad dahil nagkaroon po kami ng mga leader na tapat, maayos. Ang Carmona po dati ay isang payak na bayan. Ngayon po ang Carmona ay isa ng lungsod. Nasaksihan po namin ang malinaw na transpormasyon na nangyari sa bayan ng Carmona,” Rowena Mañabo said.
(We are the most fortunate here in Carmona because we have leaders who are honest and with integrity. Carmona used to be a simple town but it has turned into a city. We clearly saw the transformation of our hometown.)
“Ito po ay sa panahon ng panunungkulan ng aming mga halal ng opisyal. Ang punto ko po ay hindi lamang ang namumuno ang dapat pag-usapan kung hindi paano ang kanilang pamumuno na ginagawa,” Mañabo added.
(This happened because of our incumbent officials. The point here is we should not only talk about the public officials but the kind of public service they provide.)
John dela Cruz agreed, saying that he was a witness to how the Loyolas transformed Carmona from a place where “garbage” was thrown to a progressive city.
“Dating tapunan ng basura, tapunan ng mga patay. Dahil doon sa pagpapalitan ng mag-asawa ni Congressman Roy at ni Mayor Loyola, umunlad rito. Naalala ko pa nung ipinaglaban ni Congressman Roy sa Kongreso, 16 years in the making, pinaglaban niya sa Kongreso na maging lungsod ang bayan ng Carmona,” dela Cruz said.
(Our place used to be a place for trash, used as dumping site for dead people. Because of the Loyola couple, our place thrived. Congressman Roy fought for the passage of the law which established our city.)
Dela Cruz then said lawmakers should focus on drafting bills going after the corrupt officials, saying the people can choose to remove corrupt officials in office during elections anyway.
“Hindi ang batas ang magtatanggal ng political dynasty kung hindi taong bayan ang magtatanggal kapag hindi naglingkod sa mamamayan,” he added.
(Removing corrupt officials cannot be done with a law. It’s the people who will remove them if they failed to serve the people.)
Beth Biojon echoed dela Cruz’s take that legislation should not restrict people in choosing their leaders as they see fit.
“Ang political dynasty po ay hindi po problema ng bansang Pilipinas. Ang problema po ng bansa natin ay korapsyon. Kaming mamamayan ang pumipili kung sino po ang karamang dapat sa poder ng kapangyarihan,” Biojon said.
(Political dynasties are not our problem. Our country’s problem is corruption, and we, the people, are the ones who decide to whom will we give that power [to occupy a public post].)
“Dumating po ako rito 12 years old ako. Ngayon, 70 years old na ko. Ang Carmona, simula nung mamuno ang mga Loyola, naging maunlad. Kaya hindi po ako sang-ayon sa [anti] political dynasty,” Biojon added.
(I came here when I was 12. I am now 70. And Carmona, since the Loyolas led us, became progressive. That is why I am not in favor of these bills.)
Rufina Tolentino, President of the Barangay Health Workers (BHW) of Carmona City, said Carmonas’ experience with its leaders from the same political family is something to be proud of.
“Dito sa Carmona, kami po ay namumuhay ng mapayapa. Mula po nang maupo at naging leader ang ating kasalukuyang mga nanunungkulan ay naramdaman namin kung gaano kami umangat. Umangat po kami sa iba…sa ibang mga bayan. Ang maayos na panunungkulan sa aming bayan ay aming ipinagmamalaki sa karating ng mga bayan,” Tolentino said.
(We live a quiet life here. Since our public officials were elected to office, we felt progress…we were better than other towns. The good governance we have here is something we take pride of.)
“Bilang health worker po, lahat po ng pangangailangan ng aming mga kababayan ay naibibigay po sa Bayan ng Carmona,” Tolentino added.
(As a health worker, I can say that the needs of the people here are being addressed.)
Patricia Diaz, SK Federation President of the City of Carmona, argued that efficient public service cannot be determined by surnames.
“Hindi natin maikakaila na may mga pamilya sa servbisyo publiko na tuloy namang naglilingkod ng tapat, may integridad at may malasakit sa mamamayan. Ang tunay na sukatan ng lider ay hindi kung kanino siya nagmula, kundi sa kung paano siya naglingkod. Ang nais naming manaig ay hindi apelyido kundi mabuting pamamahala,” Diaz said.
(We cannot deny that there are families in public service who serve with honesty, integrity and compassion for people. The true test of a leader does not hinge on his or her surname, but how he or she governed. What we want to prevail here is good governance, not surnames.)
Imus Cavite resident Gwen Lubao, for her part, lauded the Advinculas for a corruption-free governance.
“Hindi po ako sang-ayon sa political dynasty [bill]. Bakit po? Kasi sa aming lugar, si Alex Advincula, mayor. At the same time, ang anak niyang si AJ ay Congressman. Imus City is very progressive. Wala pong daya. Ang lahat po ng pera, ang kaban ng bayan, ay nilabas niya para sa proper projects,” Lubao said.
(I am not in favor of anti-political dynasty bill because in our experience, our mayor Alex Advincula and his son, AJ who is a congressman…and Imus is very progressive. We don’t have a corrupt government. Public funds are spent on proper projects.)
“Walang korapsyon. Kaya sang-ayon po ako sa political dynasty. Depende po kasi ano po bang klaseng pamilya. Galing ba sila sa corrupt families or sa matinong pamilya? Dalawa po ang choices natin,” Lubao added.
(We are corruption-free that is why I am in favor of a political dynasty. Because it really depends on what kind of family we are voting for. Are they corrupt or do they come from a good family? We have two choices.)
Dissenting voices
But for the minority resource persons during the same consultation, passing the anti-political dynasty into a law is a must because the Constitution commands it.
The 1987 Constitution states that “the state shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.”
Senior high school student Hanamiel Gamutan underscored that public officials are mandated to provide genuine and efficient public service and as such, the public does not owe them anything.
“Pagod na po akong mamuhay sa Filipino virtue na utang na loob. Competencies are not inherited. So is the [elective] position,” Gamutan said.
(I am so tired of living out of debt of gratitude.)
Christine Quillosa of Bayan Cavite said that certain individuals’ good experience of having leaders from the same family does not necessarily mirror the experience of other jurisdictions ruled by political families.
“Ang political dynasty ay [pwedeng maging] isang makinarya na nagpapatuloy ng bulok na sistemang sumisiksik sa nakakabulag na paraan. Hindi man natin nararanasan ‘yung suliranin na ‘yun, ngunit sa ibang bayan, nakakaranas sila ng suliranin dahil sa political dynasty. Hindi ito usapin sa pagiging kontra sa isang pamilya o kung may kakayahan ba ang mga miyembro ng isang pamilya. Ang tanong, nabibigyan ba ng pantay na pagkakataon ang iba [para makapaglingkod]? Quillosa said.
(Political dynasty can be a machinery that perpetuates a rotten, blinding system. We may not experience it, but political dynasties cause harm in other areas. This is not about going after a family or the competence of the family members to serve. The question is, are we giving equal opportunities for all to be of service?)
Principal Marlowe Maurillo of Delfin F. Jaranilla Elementary School and President for Dasmariñas of the Philippine Elementary School Principals Association, for his part, said the passage of the anti-political dynasty law does not need public approval but is mandated by the Constitution.
“Maraming mga political dynasties na meron tayo ngayon na namamayagpag dahil ay kanilang pamumuno ay matino. Pero dahil may sinasabi ang Constitution, sumunod po tayo sa Constitution and all roads will be going to a fine government,” Maurillo said.
(A lot of political dynasties thrive because they govern well. But the Constitution mandates it. We must follow the Constitution.) — BM, GMA Integrated News
