What’s Inday Sarah’s ‘Hugpong” up to?

Unlike in the US where the Americans are either Republicans or Democrats, anyone in the Philippines can create his own political party. That is why there is One Cebu of the Garcia family, Team Rama, ALAYON of the Gullases, and BAKUD of the Duranos. During the times of Serging Osmeña and the Cuencos, we had the Osmeña-Cuenco fusion, opposed by the Durano-Zosa-Dumon triumvirate: Don Ramon Durano representing northeastern Cebu; Don Manuel Zosa of midwest Cebu; and Don Tereso Dumon of northwest Cebu.

On the third SONAof her father, Davao Mayor Sarah DuterteCarpio launched HUGPONG SA PAGBABAGO Party, inside a Catholic school in Quezon City. Was that an indication of things to come?

In the Philippines, all sorts of political aggrupation mushroomed after President Marcos killed the two-party system. From the time of Presidents Quezon and Osmeña, we adopted the two-party system, like USA’s. Those were the times when the Nacionalista Party of Don Manuel Quezon and Don Sergio Osmeña Sr. was opposed only by the Liberal Party of Don Manuel Roxas. Even Roxas himself was part of the NP but, when beaten by Don Sergio in a convention, he disaffiliated and formed the LP, which was founded on the principle of being open to globalization (Americanization, including allowing Americans to use, exploit and do business using our natural resources). The NP is founded on the ideology that the Philippines should be foremost for the Filipinos. Mayor Tom and Senator Serge should remember that it was the LP that hurt their lolo.

Elpidio Quirino, who took over the presidency after Roxas died of heart attack, was an LP too. He recruited Ramon Magsaysay into the LP and named him Defense secretary. Magsaysay however ran against Quirino, under the NP, and won, but he died in an airplane crash in Cebu. His Boholano NP vice president, Carlos Garcia took over. After elected president on his own, Garcia was beaten later by LP’s Diosdado Macapagal, who in turn was then defeated by Marcos, who shifted from LP to NP. Marcos later defeated LP’s Serging Osmena in 1969. In 1972, Marcos abolished the two-party system and formed the KBL, joined by many Cebu politicians. Young men, like Hilario Davide Jr. formed Pusyon Bisaya, the only true opposition at the time.

And so, what is Inday Sarah up to? I don’t think Papa Digong did not give his tacit green light to this new political group — composed of Taguig City Mayor Lani, wife of DFA Secretary Allan Peter Cayetano; Quezon City Vice Mayor and upcoming Mayor Joy Belmonte; and others. Erap was also there in the launching. I believe the Duterte family is preparing a Plan B, in case PDP-Laban of the Pimentels would combine forces with ousted Speaker Bebot Alvarez to cause trouble to GMA in Congress. Plan B will also be the launching pad for future Senators Sarah Duterte-Carpio, Bong Go and Bato de la Rosa. This party can also be the new affiliation of Manny Pacquiao if the pambansang kamao wants to become pambansang pangulo.

You can never tell. In Philippine politics, nothing is impossible.