The list of candidates for the 2025 mid-term elections is done unless changes due to withdrawals and substitutions happen for the deadline set by the election commission. Very clearly, old politicians are back to regain their post or aspire for higher office. The trend had been as usual where family members are exchanging political positions after spending full terms and wasting taxpayers’ money at their disposal. The implementation of programs and projects are strategically done during the last stretch of their term to ensure public recognition of their deeds. The purpose is to clearly to sustain memory recall on the part of the gullible voters who are duped to forget the non-performance and irregularities during the greater period of their term. The practice puts a decided advantage over newcomers who could hardly cope with the propaganda by the incumbents.
The continued clamor for the passage of an enabling law on the ban of political dynasties had remained in the stranglehold of politicians in congress whose interest would be adversely affected if such law is passed. It would be noted that such anti-dynasty bills had been filed in congress over and over again but nothing had been done as the majority would easily suppress its passage. Only a few well-meaning legislators had been pushing for its passage but as the majority would brag, they have the numbers to prevail under our democratic setup. A constitutional delegate that crafted the 1987 Constitution expressed that the ban against political dynasties needs an enabling law which until now had not been passed.
Political dynasties are either committed simultaneously or successively. In the coming elections, we have three brothers, brothers and sisters running for senate seats. There too former senators making a comeback as if they have forgotten something during their previous terms. The same is true for local officials where family members are running for various elective offices as if the are the only ones with the right to such offices. The practice defeats the constitutional provision that affords equal access and opportunity to serve as elected officials. The situation is made worse by the commercialized nature of elections where votes are openly bought from voters who are too eager and willing to sell their votes to the highest bidder.
In some areas, elective political positions are negotiated among political clans as candidates run unopposed for positions had already been agreed upon. The practice deprives other persons to seek such elective office as they have already been cornered by the political clans in power. The voters have no choice but elect the unopposed candidate.
The strategy minimizes the expenses for vote buying as well as the violence that happen in contested electoral confrontations. As a consequence, vote sellers could not rake huge money unlike in opposed candidacies, especially when the aspirants are multi-party. But all such situations are inimical to the interest of the people and ruins the essence of democracy and the sanctity of the ballot. Clearly, the present crop of aspirants, chiefly those who are returning, are doing so not much for service but theirs is a return for gains.
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