Politics as business monopolies of ‘’tradpols’’ clans
Nothing has changed. Today’s politics, to the great dismay of reformers and visionaries, is still controlled by feudal lords and business barons, whose only mission and vision is to perpetuate their bloodline in power, and to protect their financial and business interests. Contrary to the wishes of the young and idealistic Filipinos, next year’s political exercise will continue to be dominated by family dynasties and political clans. From the Ilocos Region to the border islands of Tawi-Tawi, families are going to battle it out with other families. Next year’s polls shall be a virtual clash among warlike clans armed to the teeth, ready to kill or be killed. And whoever shall prevail will again run the municipalities, cities, and provinces as if the family owns them. They would lord it over the local government units as a sort of serfdom which is not unlike the feudal lordships of the olden times. They monopolize political power and public funds.
The patriarch will most likely stand as governor, manifesting monopoly of power and dominating the whole territorial domain as if he was anointed by the king. His wife may be in Congress to make sure that she brings home the bacon, because we all know that Congress controls the budget. One son may be in the Senate, being prepared for the presidency because there is no limit to the family’s greed for power and hunger for money. The daughter may be the mayor of the capital city, and another is in the Cabinet, so that there is a conduit for pork barrel and kickbacks from suppliers and contractors. A brother of the governor may be the barangay captain of the biggest village who will be assigned to control the grassroots and buy votes. Grandchildren control the SK and all civic and religious organizations.
The politics of trapos is like the multi-headed hydra or the octopus with more than eight tentacles. They and their cohorts, underlings, and cronies disperse themselves and penetrate all nooks and crannies in the province, cities, and municipalities. Whenever there is an up-and-coming new family or group that wants to challenge them, they use persuasion, pressure, and even force and intimidation to confuse and discourage the probable rivals. They would offer them favors like appointment to some shady and juicy posts, or extend the some business and career opportunities to distract them from politics. The family dynasty is not incapable of terrorism or even assassination if that is the only way to eliminate the competition.
I know of a city where any family identified as belonging to other affiliations, is bound to lose water and electricity connection. The rulers succeeded in eliminating all deviants and oppositors. In the end, family members had to fight each other because no one would dare. In Ilocos today, there are only two or three very strong families monopolizing politics. Any semblance of opposition would just perish or join their bandwagon. The same is true in Central Luzon where politicians are behaving as sugar barons or business magnates who practically have the socio-economic affairs in their own hands. And they who control the economy would necessarily control the politics.
In Metro Manila, Southern Tagalog, Bicol, Visayas, and Mindanao, the patterns are all the same. This country will continue to stagnate and even deteriorate in its social and economic development because the real talents and the really conscientious and patriotic Filipinos are leaving the country, most of them for good. The nincompoop trapos, rascals, scoundrels, and plunderers are ruling the country as if we were still in the Dark Ages. And evil is winning because the good men shy away from politics.