On our last trip to Abulug, the road conditions were noticeably worse. You see, there is quite a lot of construction going on in virtually every Barangay along the way, not to mention the National Highway. Why? Well, May 10, 2010 is the next General Election in the Philippines, and potholes are being filled in, bridges painted, and town squares tidied up all over the country before that date. In fact, this will be Rebecca’s first time voting. Marcos was still in power when she went overseas and she never registered to vote while living abroad, though she was entitled to vote, because she believed that OFWs votes do not count (I won’t even start to argue that point with her!).
Now, as a foreigner, it is best to keep one’s mouth shut regarding Philippine politics. That topic is a virtual minefield that can easily get you into trouble. I’m not saying that you can’t have an opinion, but rather, have an opinion and keep it to yourself. As an outsider, you are not entitled to vote, so, in reality, your opinion does not matter. Political feuds, rivalries, and support run very deep in the Philippines. A foreigner cannot even begin to fully comprehend the influence politics plays in the social fabric of life here.
From buying votes, to street protests, to vote rigging, to nepotism… It all takes place in full view and in the open. The TV networks are starting their speculation over who will run and speculating already about potential winners. Fiestas in every town are a little larger and more grand this year. More posters are going up in every barangay showing candidates and office holders with their families, either congratulating local graduates or newlyweds, or even themselves on their own achievments. Mayors who are normally absentee are suddenly in their offices more often. This is politics Pinoy style, technically not so different from the United States, but fundamentally different from how elections are won and how subtle influence plays a part.
That being said, the results of this upcoming election will influence the direction the country takes over the next six years, and it is prudent for foreigners to at least have an idea about what is going on and who the players are. Even though you can’t vote, you do have a vested interest in the country’s future if you live here. Every office, from President down to Barangay Captain is up for grabs. Politics in the Philippines is noisy, complicated by many different political parties, and highly contentious. Therefore, as the old saying goes, “Get your program, you can’t tell the players apart without a program!”
OK… Let’s start with political parties. There are a large number of parties in the country, and the RP has a history of the party in charge running the country by developing a coalition with other parties. Here are the primary players (Though there are dozens of parties. I’ve listed only those that currently hold legislative seats.), in no particular order, except the first, since they are the party currently in power (Again, I cannot have an opinion, so don’t interpret the list as such):
1. Lakas-CMD: This is current President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s party. The CMD stands for “Christian Muslim Democrats”. This party was formed from a merger between the People Power Party and the National Union of Christian Democrats party in the early 1990′s. Lakas-CMD also hold the majority of seats in the legislature, and party members are running for nearly every office in the country. Officially, the party takes a populist stance, and somewhat centrist, but has come under fire from EDSA II to the present, beset by numerous scandals, including the impeachment drive against the current president. It is widely speculated that the current Vice President, Noli de Castro, will run for Lakas, and be a prime contender, though as of yet he has not officially entered the race. Bayani Fernando, president of the MMDA, has also announced for Lakas, but it still remains to be seen if the party will choose him. He has stated that he will run as an independent if he is not chosen.
2. Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), both Nationalist and Populist in ideology, split into two factions, with one supporting the current government in coalition and the other opposing the current government. There is one announced contender for the presidency, Francis Escudero, who is currently a senator. The NPC currently holds 26 seats in the legislature.
3. The Liberal Party is one of the oldest active political parties in the Philippines, dating back to independence. Similar in ideology to the US Democratic Party. Mar Roxas, son of President Manuel Roxas, has announced his intention to run under the Liberal Party banner in 2010. The party currently holds 16 seats in the legislature.
4. The Nacionalista Party is the oldest active political party in the Philippines, dating back to 1907 during the early years the Independence movement, surviving through the Commonwealth, Japanese occupation, and the Marcos years (This was his first party until he created the KBL (See Below)). Both the Liberal Party and the NPC were “spin offs” from the Nacionalista Party. Today, the party’s ideology is largely Conservative, similar to the Republican Party in the States. Senator Manny Villar has announced his candidacy for President under the NP banner, and many of the pundits are projecting a strong campaign from him.
5. Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban). This party’s ideology is similar to that of the Social Democrats in Germany, left leaning. This party is another group that has split into factions over the years. PDP Laban merged with the UNIDO Party (Unity… The People Power Party) and then one faction, led by Jose Cojuangco, formed the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP). No candidate has yet announced for PDP Laban, though the party is currently in coalition with UNO (see below).
6. Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) was formed by Jose Cojuangco, brother of President Corazon Aquino. The ideology is liberal. This party split from PDP Laban in 1988, and Panfilo Lacson has announced his candidacy to run under the LDP banner in 2010.
7. United Opposition Party (UNO) was created in 2005 for the purpose of uniting the opposition parties to the current government for the 2007 election and next year’s election. The party is somewhat centrist, but left leaning. Jejomar Binay, the Mayor of Makati, has announced his candidacy under the UNO banner. It is interesting to note that Binay has obtained substantial support in Mindanao.
8. Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) was created by Ferdinand Marcos as a unified front against the opposition. Ideology is fairly rigid Conservatism. Currently headed by Ilocos Norte Governor Ferdinand Marcos Jr, the party is very popular in the north and holds one legislative seat. However, they retain little support outside of the north. The party is embroiled in controversy at the moment, related to who they support or do not support in the next election.
9. Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas (PDSP), or Social Democrats. This party was one of the opposition parties during the People Power Revolution. Ideology is similar to other Social Democrat parties in Europe (Though, frankly, they have Marxist leanings in some repects). They currently hold two legislative seats and have not, as of yet, announced a candidate for President.
Add into the political party mix the Independent non-affiliated candidates who have a “good chance” of making a respectable showing. Rebecca told me the Filipino term for the “Independent” candidates is pampagulo or, the closest approximation in English, “Those who rattle around”. She told me that every election, a number of prominent people with their own agendas announce their candidacy to drive publicity or gain local power, without really believing they will win. Here’s the first of the independents :
1. Joseph Estrada, the ousted ex-president, has helpfully offered the opposition his candidacy if they cannot unify behind a single candidate. There are constitutional issues with this, as has been pointed out by the ruling Lakas CMD party. Needless to say, Estrada still holds some political influence in the country.
2. Secretary of Defense, Gilberto Teodoro Jr., has announced his candidacy for President, but not under a party banner. Again, he might carry a substantial amount of support from the military.
3. The Governor of Pampanga, Among Eddie Panlilio, a Catholic Priest, has announced his intention to run for President as an independent, pending approval from the Church in Rome. He was temporarily relieved of his priestly duties upon his gubernatorial run, and it is unlikely that the Church will approve, citing conflicts of interest. He has a significant number of advocates as a political “outsider”.
Now, looking at the party list above, two things should stand out blatantly:
1. Note the last names of the candidates. With a few exceptions, these people are part of political dynasties. Sons, daughters, cousins, grandchildren of former rulers. The political power has not shifted much, with the exception of the People Power Revolution… a drastic shift, over the last 60 years.
2. Note the turmoil in the political parties. They have merged, split, redefined ideology, disbanded, and rebranded countless times over the country’s history. Outside of the Liberal Party and the Nacionalista Party, these political parties are relatively young. Note that there are nine major parties seating representatives in the legislature (With about a dozen seats going to independents and small, local parties), with none holding clear, major majorities, so my earlier comment about coalition building is the resulting impact. If the majority party wishes to implement policy, they MUST build a coalition or nothing will get done. That is a difficult concept to grasp for most Americans, used to two primary parties in power throughout their history, with a few brief notable exceptions (Whigs or Bull Moose, anyone?) Indeed, Rebecca told me that there is even a Filipino term for this phenomenon, balimbing, loosely translated as “scattered”, much as in the shape of a starfruit.
Differences between the Philippine election and the US elections is primarily term and direct election. There is no electoral college here, so one vote can truly make a difference. Secondly, the Presidential term is six years, rather than four, giving whoever wins a longer time period in which to implement policy. (There is a two term limit in the Philippines, so President Arroyo cannot run again, and, constitutionally speaking, neither can Estrada.) Think about it a minute: The US President is a lame duck during his last year, or focused on re-election, and is in the “honeymoon” period during year one. That leaves most US Presidents only two years to really get any work done. The President of the Philippines actually has two extra years to work!
The above is just related to the Presidential elections. There are local elections happening all over the country, and things might get heated (It has happened before). As mentioned above, it is best to avoid political discussions with Filipinos who are not close friends, and you certainly want to avoid any political demonstrations or protests, regardless of your views. You are the outsider, and if there is trouble at a protest, it is far easier to simply escort you out of the country than to listen to whatever foreign views you may have. You may have political candidates offering you free t-shirts, or soliciting support from your family (If you are married to a Filipino). If this happens, respectfully defer to family members and stay out of the discussion. Let the free press, who do an admirable job of making their views known, voice any differences. Just watch the process, learn, and appreciate a peaceful transfer of power.
Because it is about politics, this article has the possibility to generate some strong comments from LiP readers, and comments are, as always, welcome. It is intended as a quick guide for foreigners who wish to live here that may help make the process more clear. Though I did some research, I may be off a bit regarding ideology and so on… figuring out which party is which can be challenging, given the somewhat turbulent political history of the Philippines. A friendly reminder to watch what you say and try not to make it slanderous (Don’t make accusations, etc. They are politicians and know that not everyone supports them, but keep it civil.) Secondly, please try to minimize talking about US politics, as Bob has requested in the past.
About JohnM
Hi John – A very good interpretation of the mystery of Philippine Politics.
It might be wise to provide an additional warning that political “campaigning & activity” doesn’t stop after an election. Challenges to election results, claims of voting irregularities & fraud, post-election rallies for “justice,” etc., can last for quite a while. The largest problem is that there is often “old scores” and some new ones to be settled by the dynasties if things don’t go as planned. A foreigner or expat is not immune to “flying lead” when the drinks and pulutan run out.
Hi John, I appreciate that dissertation on the Phil politics. I think you have carefully chosen not to express your opinion. There is a very important sentence you wrote, which to me is a very important point.
You wrote:
2. Note the turmoil in the political parties. They have merged, split, redefined ideology, disbanded, and rebranded countless times over the country’s history.
A very true statement but why do they do that? To suit their personal interest perhaps?
Phil politics is largely based on personality. I don’t think politicians are moved by the ideology of their parties. They might have but they sell out in the long run due to the games of politics and self-interest as well.
What a task! Heroic!
Hi John,
My Motto,”Keep out of discussions involving politics and religion” both are minefields.
regards Chas.
Let us hope that the election next year will be peaceful. I can not remember an election in the Philippines the last 25 years without a few killings or murders of politicians and supporters. Very true and informative article, John! Cheers!
So the best way for an expat to have some influence over the election process is to make one of those anonymous Obama-type political donations? You know, the kind he accepted on his website from non-citizens living outside the US?
David: I never heard that about Obama, though nothing would surprise me. As in any election, if one side is doing something, you can bet that the other side is doing things too.
I would think that would be the only way to influence things here, and would take more money than most expats have in order to make any difference. Also, it probably is not the wisest move, particularly if you are resident here. What if you donate to the wrong candidate? What if records are kept? Remember, as a guest in this country, you can be asked to leave at any time. It is far better just to pay attention to what is going on and stay out of the fray.
Oh JOhn,
Why do you have to write about philippine politics!!! Just thinking about them “CROCS” in my country makes my blood boil. This political dynasties in the Philippines should stop, they just wanted a family member to be there to help them out when the bad things they did in the past will stay buried. And then, theres this actors and actresses running for office, too. Sometimes, i cant belive my countrymen… why will they vote for them? because they’re movie stars? Most of this stars didnt even finish college. A lot of them cant even speak proper english. If you ask me, whoever sits in that office will just try to enrich themselves. Would you believe, those “TRAPOS” were already there when i was growing up in the 70′s? and theyre still there stuck to their chairs like glues? Oh, i hate them! I really hope there will come a time when i can truly say. ” for the first time in my adult life, Im proud to be Filipino” ooops,
just trying to lightened up the mood here, folks….
Seriously, JOhn, you really read how politics worked there… good job.
Hi John! As a future voter (gonna register when I get back), I’m glad that you wrote on this stuff, kinda clears up the mind a bit, there’s literally an alphabet soup of parties! …. thank you
I do have a slight correction though, the President is actually limited to one term only, no reelection whatsoever… Arroyo only managed to run again in ’04 since she wasn’t elected, she succeeded the position and was in the position for only three years, not four (which would render her ineligible for re-election).
Estrada, on the other hand, I don’t even know what the heck he’s doing in the Presidential scene. Unless they Amend Art. VII Sec. 4 in the Constitution, or do a cha-cha, he cannot run for Pres. under any circumstance…
Hello John,
Wow, my head is still spinning from all that info, great job putting that together.
John, I will just have to wake up each morning and hope for the best, and will keep my opinions to myself, nothing much else I could do. Not to sound like I don’t care, because I do care or I will care. Especially what is happening in Southern Leyte, and with the local politicians in the area. I for one would like to see our local mayor of Maasin City stay in office, and even the provincial governor seems to be doing a great job as well, at least they both seem very attentive to the people there, and not just lately because of the upcoming election year.
Take care,
Danny
John i really hope that MANNY PAQUIAO stay out of politics, i admired him as a person and as a fighter but being a politician is not a good idea, jmho….. he can still help people in so many ways w/o entering into politics.Once he decided to join them his image will fade and he is going to be label as one of those corrupt gov’t officials and being a wealthy person will not stop the people to think that he’s one of those dirty politician who abused their power and people around him will just used him for their own personal political ambition….. that’s why i am not a fan of any of them…. their political agenda never help us OFW’s at all……
What i wish for them to do is to provide a better employment for filipinos w/ a fair salary to have even a simple life if not a better one, we already suffered tremendously in abroad both emotionally and physically, almost 90% of us OFW’s here earned a college degree but we worked as a maids, caregivers ,laborer etc. we spent so much money for our education only to find ourselves working not even related to what we really are……. but the funny thing is our gov’t takes pride for OFW’s bcoz our remittances of about $ US 17 billion annually in 2007 alone, (i don’t have an accurate figure of ofw’s total remiitances as of 2008 yet ) help our economy to keep afloat but the gov’t do very little to help our well- being while working overseas……….
You’re right John, we OFW’s suffered enough for so many yrs but our gov’t either ignored our pleas or they’re afraid to lose the remittances we sent home, so we have no choice but to hold on to our goal and use our hard earned money in a useful way to provide for our retirement…. other didn’t make it and back to zero balance again when they go back home…..as of now i was helping my niece and nephews for their college education but i’m worried that they will have a hard time finding a job after graduation, thus they have no choice but to work overseas, i wish they will just focus on finding job at home and be w/ their families coz i don’t want them to suffer the same way ive’d gone through……
You’re wife was a picture of a true filipina who is not afraid to fight for her right as a woman, there’s really a bad employer out there who will take advantage of us pinay but bcoz we have a strong religious belief we will not hesitate to fight for our right…. i will surely do the same if i encountered such incidents….
Um?? err?? I don,t think I quite followed all that. Glad I can,t vote. Seriously john, well written, I will reread it again when my headache clears
hi john miele – well done. once again, you’ve put together something together that both foreigners & filipinos can learn about (your filipino heroes list was great as well).
i don’t know if any of the posters mentioned this. but you mentioned 2 terms for the president. it’s actually 1 term for six years. though it was formerly a 2 term, 4 year limit like the US.
during cory aquino’s term in the late 80′s, there was a national vote to change this. the “yes” vote defeated the “no” vote. partly out of aquino’s popularity & as a reaction to marcos’ recent 20 year rule.
on your mention of independents, sen. kiko pangilinan ran as an independent last elections & won. he is now affiliated with the Liberal party. his reason to run as an independent at the time was his distancing with the politics of both the ruling & opposition parties. he has officially declared to run for VP in the upcoming elections (i’m guessing with opposition LP.. for now).
by the way there are 2 liberal parties. last year, pro-administration & opposition figures within the party split the party into two. there is (was?) a case to rule on which if the 2 faction was the legitimate carrier of the liberal party name.
for sheer entertainment, watch out for the final day of deadline of declaration of candidacy. there will be some interesting circus type names that will pop into the list & later declared as nuisance candidates. one example is a person who declared himself the second coming of jesus christ. plus, sometimes, you have comical arguments between candidates because of similar names or nicknames.
i don’t know if this counts to your list, but the wrench in all this is the party-list system. i won’t even go into detail on that. one of the more successful parties in this category is far left-progressive Bayan Muna. Satur Ocampo, a congressman from this party, has declared to run for Senate. It will be interesting how he will fare since I don’t recall any candidate in recent memory that is off conventional party politics with an outside shot as he.
by the way, the elections is for presidential, legislative & local candidates. which makes it one big fiesta.
with so many factions no wonder its almost an act of God anything ever gets done !!!
enlighting article !
Still thinking who am I going to vote this coming election.
John,
Thanks for the thought provoking article. You have a real talent at research.
An interesting historical footnote is that the first political party in the Philippines was the Federalista Party founded during the administration of American Governor General William Howard Taft. The Federalistas favored eventual statehood in the United States. The Nationalista Party was founded by Manuel Quezon and Osmena to oppose the Federalistas and push for independence. The history of the Philippines sure would be different if the Federalistas had been successful. Thanks again.
Richard W.
I agree with chasdv…
….Phil n Jess
Hey John,
Sorry about the late post, but I was just reading about the Third Option Proponets party “TOP”. They advocate becomming a 51st state of the united states to cure corruption and ecconomic woes in the philppines. How popular of an idea is this among filipinos?
According to their online poll, its 75%
http://www.geocities.com/philippines_statehood_usa/main.htm
Forgot to mention: back home, KBL, LDP and a few Nacionalista and Lakas (sans CMD) are predominent is our area – a volatile mixture when basi is added!
Also forgot to say that Ferdinand “Bong-Bong” Marcos is the former governor of Ilocos Norte. The current governor is Marcos Dynasty scion Michael Keon. Bong-Bong is currently a Representative to Congress serving in Manila along with Representative Roque Ablan, Jr.(with a few other family members in various government positions).
Paul: Wise words there… It truly is best to simply keep your mouth shut or simply state, if you are asked, “I can’t vote, so what I think doesn’t matter.” I’ve found that most Filipinos just give a little chuckle and move the discussion onto a different topic if I say that.
Paul: You are correct that Bong Bong is in Congress… no longer Governor. Rebecca’s family are all pro Marcos, but as time passes their views have turned more nostalgic. A lot of it has to do with the fact that after his ouster, the North is largely excluded from politics and money.
Roy: I would hazard a guess that your view is correct… The party turmoil seems largely due to settling personal scores (As is apparent in the KBL turmoil). Part of the reason foreigners shouldn’t discuss politics. Even if you agree with a party or candidate, an outsider has no way of knowing the reasons behind candidacy or conflict.
Jonaky: Thank you!
Ch: Words to the wise there!
David: Thank you. I hope the process is largely peaceful. Last week, I was driving along Commonwealth Av. in QC and there were around 3 large protests related to Cha Cha and the upcoming election going on. The traffic was terrible and people were walking in the street. The QC police were present, and, though everything appeared peaceful, I moved quickly out of there.
Cris: I agree… Elections sometimes turn into something little more than a popularity contest (Though, I have to admit that I found Jesse Ventura amusing as Minnesota Governor!). That’s why I question Manny running for office: Good fighter, and generally seems to be an all-around good guy, but how effective as a politician?
I was listening to Edu Manzano talking about running again…Hmmmm. Rebecca finds him extremely good looking,but there needs to be some substance (Though, to be fair, he seems to be a fairly intelligent guy.)
John – When I’m backed into a corner and cannot do anything but provide a political opinion, I can usually get away with either “I think the Ilocos should get their fair share of the Tobacco money,” or “Wouldn’t it be nice if Ilocandia was autonomous?”
Nothing but smiles, chuckles and drinks after those!
Paul:
Jong:
Thank you! I stand corrected. The sheer number of factions can make things confusing.
I believe they are hanging onto the pardon that was granted to him by GMA —and hoping that the pardon was an absolute (as opposed to conditional) restoration of political rights.
Really I shouldn’t be writing anything about this whole joke. Just thought I’d respond to your third paragraph. But I believe that’s why they THINK they can play the game.
Danny: Thank you. Like you, I still think that there are some politicians who try to do the best job they can. Not all are corrupt, or liars, or have hidden agendas. I also think that many enter politics with the best of intentions and end up corrupted by the game.
Michelle: Politics as usual!
Wildcat: I agree with you that I hope Manny avoids politics. He genuinely seems to be a nice guy, and his popularity alone could do some wonderful things. It would be a shame to see his reputation tarnished in the political arena.
As to OFW’s, you hit a sore spot with me… I will always have an enormous amount of respect for my wife for the guts it took to go overseas to a crappy country and hideous employer. The brain drain in the country truly is the real shame. I sometimes wonder what the possibilities for the Philippines would be if people could earn a living here without the diaspora that has occurred. Even worse is the strain it has put on families and the cultural changes that have happened as a result.
Wildcat: Since we’ve returned, Rebecca has been offered numerous positions with job services for OFWs. She has turned them all down. She refuses to aid what she calls the Philippines’ dirty little secret.
Daryl: Thank you!
Macky: Thanks… I’m actually sort of looking forward to all of the election day shenanigans… It will be absolutely fascinating to watch.
Brian: Thanks… It really shows why a coalition is the only way anything gets done.
Philmor: It is your right. Use it wisely!
Richard: Sorry for the late response… Heavy travel this week with little Internet access. Thank you! Interesting bit of history.
Phil: I’ve blown up on a few of those mines myself!
Hudson: Sorry I did not get back to you… I was in Abulug this weekend without Internet and this last trip put me way behind on paperwork.
I’ve never heard of TOP before. Looking at their website, they want the Philippines to become the 51st State, but to maintain sovereignty. Leaving out the fact that their charter is tinged with Christian Fundamentalism, this appears to be a small group’s pipe dream… a short-term solutions to very real long-term problems.
I think they are believing in something that will never happen. Not even the remotest chance, and not even taking into account the Philippine side of things. I seriously doubt that the US would even agree to such a plan. The “keeping sovreignty” issues were resolved during the Civil War, and if the Philippines were to become a State, the should have sovreignty just like any other State… Very limited. For the last 100 years, Puerto Rico has held Commonwealth status, virtually identical to that of the Philippines pre WWII. The questions over status there have not been resolved, and the Philippines faces far greaster challenges than tiny Puerto Rico. From a purely financial standpoint, the US would take on enormous amounts of debt, which would be doubtful to get through Congress. Additionally, there are cultural differences and concerns in the States over a tidal wave of cheap labor. Finally, such an occurrence would impact the relations with American allies and other Nations in Asia, and probably not for the better. It has been over 60 years since the United States was here… Things have changed since that time. There is no more Cold War. Interest on the US side would be dim to none.
None of these issues could likely be resolved.
On the Philippine end of things, there are large portions of the population who are nationalistic… As well they should be. This is their country. There are feelings in this country of American Imperialism… Not vocal, but they are there nonetheless. These beliefs may not be immedately apparent to a tourist. The colonial legacy of the US was not as bright and cheerful as the US history books would make it seem. In fact, about the only enduring legacy is the English language. Filipinos fought nearly 400 years for Independence and the right to choose their own destiny. I doubt that many in this country would easily be willing to give that up. When I married Rebecca, we talked about US Citizenship for her. She does not want it. She is Filipino and proud of that fact. Yes, there are some here who believe that in the US the streets are paved with gold. However, belief and reality are two different things.
Hey John,
Thanks for your response. I dont know about the general Filipino population there, but here in the states the filipinos I talk to say it would be a good idea. Im not sure how accepting the US population would be. Im sure they’re plenty of Democrat politicans who would warm up to the idea only because they believe they would gain more seats in the senate and house.
It is a complicated issue for sure.
Hi Hudson – Personally, I don’t feel it’s complicated at all, because it simply would never happen. I would be surprised if 10% of the population here would support such a move. Just my personal view, of course.