Family Affair

A long-gone blogger already posted a blog entry on this topic more than two years ago entitled “Political Dynasties in Occidental Mindoro : The Old and Budding Ones”. Click here and try to read him once more. But I would not wish to repeat his accounts that are still true up to now. However, there are latest developments in Didaskalos’ report like the present status of the mayors of Mamburao and Magsaysay, for they have won their cases of election protests in 2007 and legally have taken their respective municipal seats. Right at my very nose, there is an ex-officio councilor who is son of the mayor. Didaskalos was the owner of “Advocatus Socialis” and I am writing this “sequel” hoping that this would do justice to his piece and his memory.

On the occasion of her birthday last Wednesday,- in a radio interview, certain lady Mayor unveiled her plan to slide down as Vice-Mayor for she is now serving out her last term in office. She also added that her youngest son will run for councilor and her eldest will again look forward for another term as Provincial Board Member next year. Also in said interview she reportedly quipped : “It seems that politics is contagious!”

In another town, a wife (who is now serving as Barangay Captain) of an incumbent Mayor (and a former Vice-Governor) is believed to be running for the post occupied by her husband who is expected to just finish his term and retire from politics. The couple has a son now on his second term as a councilor of same town.

Occidental Mindoro has a long history of political dynasty like what Didaskalos pointed out in his write-up when he was still alive. But how could we say that political dynasty is good or bad for us if Congress is still unable to craft and pass implementing law that would also define political dynasty? But I will stick to this straight definition I have learned from the billiard players in Mabuhay Recreation along Gen. Dunckel Street : “A dynasty is a succession of people belonging to the same family, who, through various means and forms maintain power, influence or authority over the course of generations.”

Certainly, the 1987 Constitution has a provision (Art. 2, Section 26) that says that the State shall prohibit political dynasties but until such legislative action is made, this provision will forever be useless. Have you ever dare to inquire this issue to our past and present representatives to Congress? Or explain to them that the reason,- according to the supreme law of the land, for ending political dynasties is to assure that there would be “equal access to opportunities for public service.” Obviously, they would not pick a rock and slam their own heads that would lead to their "untimely" political demise.

Despite of this sad reality, we must do anything we can to support advocacies and personalities (including local politicians) that are against political dynasty and for equal access to opportunities for public service. Until such time that no political family is exercising monopoly of leadership in Occidental Mindoro,specially if they have all the political and economic power to do so.

Until Didaskalos resurrects from his ashes…

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(Photo Credit : SSC File. Taken in Abra de Ilog where the present Mayor is the husband of the former Mayor)