The May 24 Bicol Mail editorial bewailed: “The experience of the Philippines in harboring political dynasties for decades has not brought good tidings to the exercise of the people’s democratic rights. Ironically, the control and dominance of political dynasties feeding on the spoils of the system remain unchallenged and reinforced because of an electoral process that is obviously governed by money, goons and gold.”

        One couldn’t agree more.

        The sad thing is we seem to have been helpless, if not apathetic, to even try to discourage the perpetuation and emergence of political dynasties, which, at the manner they are being brazenly built these days, have plumbed new depths of greed, shamelessness and callousness in our political lives as a people. Nowadays, there seems to be nothing awry with a wife replacing his husband, children running and getting elected with or after their parents. We can see nothing wrong with a father running as senator or congressman, his son as governor and his relatives as local officials.

        But then how can we possibly check corruption and other anomalies in our government, or guarantee transparency and effective leadership, in a situation where one family (political dynasty) controls almost every aspect of our political life? How can we stop this scourge?

        Let’s vote political dynasts and scoundrels out every election time? Unfortunately, this is much easier said than done. In the first place, do we have the choice – better choices? Most likely we only end up electing “lesser” rascals into public office or changing collars, not dogs (with apologies to dogs), and letting them get away with their loot!

        We well know that our “electoral process” has been “governed by money, goons and gold”. Or, the chance of winning elections is peanuts for only the rich, power elite, the gambling lords, the hoodlums, the clowns – or the cheats with all the money and resources at their disposal.

        There’s one common denominator to all these, though. And that is MONEY. Take away money and hired goons and guns may stay out of business. And these “politicos” will do a lot of thinking before spending millions on campaigns – or in running, if not cheating or killing one another, to get themselves elected into public office.

        For, indeed, how would or could a senatorial or congressional candidate spend tens or hundreds of millions of pesos on pre-election sorties, when the monthly salary of a lawmaker is said to be only P35,000? How will he intend or manage to recover his campaign expenditures?

        Browsing the internet recently, I have got some clearer picture of why politicians are “scrambling to kill each other (literally and figuratively)”. A so-called “lawmaker” in this country known for world-class “corruption” and widespread “poverty”, can get as much as P300,000 per month or more than 3 million a year in fixed amounts broken down as follows: P35,000 “salary”; P200,000 “published expenses” and P50,000 – P100,000 “allowance from the Speaker”. Each senator is said to receive “fixed monthly allowances of P2 million for office rental and supplies, staff salaries and domestic travel.” And these are even “audit-free”! “Attendance in a plenary session to vote on selected national bills” even carries a price of P50,000 or up to P500,000 “for urgent and controversial measures”.

        But the “grand prize” is considered to be the “P200-million annual pork barrel or P1.2 billion during the senator’s six year term”. As a columnist of a national newspaper put it: “They (lawmakers) identify the projects and endorse the contractors-suppliers, who give them 50 percent kickbacks.” And how much is 50% of P200-million each year? The result could be nauseatingly staggering!

        So, take away these excessive allowances and perks. Scrap the pork barrel. But how? By legislation? And who would have the guts and soul to legislate against his own personal interests nowadays? And we are not eyeing for more drastic, if not violent, but probably effective recourse here, are we?

        Besides, what “incentives” will be there left for our politicians to aspire for the job of “public servants”? What else can keep them from perpetuating themselves in power and building colossal political dynasties?

        Maybe, true public service? Supreme self-sacrifice? Or, simple delicadeza.

        But, what crap is that?

MANUEL A. COLLAO,
via e-mail