Election PH 17, Questions for Binay, Poe and Roxas

Reposting (with permission) some comments and questions by a friend, JB Baylon, posted in his fb wall. Then my additional comments below. The photos I got from the web, added here and not part of JB's original posting.
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September 13. 

There is something wrong with headlines of news items about the LP.

This one says Sec Mar's mom stopped a party leader from quitting. Another one says PNoy has chosen Leni Roberedo to be the running mate.

Excuse me. It is Sec Mar who is the candidate now. It should be he who is making these decisions - or at the very least delegating to others the making of these decisions. He needs to be seen as his own man now - and these headlines are not helping. Either the stories are not accurate - or something has to change in the way the LP makes its decisions.

We want to know that we will be voting for Mar Roxas the man qualified to be President -- not for PNoy the soon former President, or Judy Roxas the mother of the candidate for President for goodness' sake!

September 19.

ISSUES I THINK THE THREE CANDIDATES HAVE TO ANSWER: (SHARE IF YOU AGREE!)

As a political science student, and looking at our three declared candidates, these are what i would like to ask them in a public forum:

To Vice President Binay: how do you respond to all the allegations of corruption beyond claiming they're politically motivated? Why is your close associate Mr Limlingan still unaccounted for till now? Could he by any chance be on the space shuttle to Mars?

To Secretary Roxas: why should I vote for you given your dismal record at the DOTC and the unremarkable record at the DILG? You claim that politics never figured in your work, but what about the Yolanda brouhaha with the Tacloban Mayor? And the fact that the President sidelined you on Mamasapano - isn't that a reflection on the amount of trust - or lack of it - that he has in you?

To Senator Grace Poe - the citizenship issue aside, you have the thinnest public service record among the three candidates. We require commercial pilots to have a certain number of flight hours before we entrust them with a commercial aircraft. I will not agree to being operated on by a fresh graduate of Medicine. Explain to me why in your case we the voters are effectively being asked to put our trust in someone who in other professions wouldn't be the lead and yet is aspiring for the Presidency of the Republic!

Now aren't these the questions we should be pressing on our candidates???

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And here are my questions to the three declared Presidential candidates.

For VP Jojo Binay: You promise more subsidies, more welfare programs nationwide if elected President and yet you also support cutting income tax rates. How do you plan to sustain the budget for more welfarism without resorting to higher taxes elsewhere plus endless borrowings? Or you are silent about your hidden plan to raise taxes elsewhere and continue endless borrowings?

For Sen. Grace Poe: Lots of questions about your citizenship, you voluntarily gave up your PH citizenship (to become a US citizen) and reacquired it later. Your kids remain US citizens until now. Answer those questions convincingly. And you justified the Iglesia illegal, stupid occupation of Edsa for 3D/3N that created heavy traffic, cancelled flights, meetings for many people. Do you still justify the Iglesia bullying and arrogance?

For Sec. Mar Roxas: DOTC during and after your term (succeeded by another LP leader Sec. Jun Abaya) is lousy, inefficient and corrupt. I don't even have a plastic driver's license, don't have that new car license plate until now, after fully paying for them last May and April, respectively. As a Liberal leader, do you intend to keep the current BIG and bureaucratic government size, or trim it down?

Pahabol kay VP Binay: You are lying when you repeatedly declared in your provincial sorties that "you made Makati rich" in your nearly 30 years leadership (you, your wife, young son Junjun). What, Makati before was poor and you made it rich??? First time I set foot in Makati as a probinsyano from Negros Occidental was in 1980. I saw the high rise buildings, clean streets of Ayala ave. and surrounding areas. Makati was already rich even before you were appointed as OIC Mayor. 

Please stop your lies, VP Binay.

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See also:

Election 13, Bernard Ong's Analysis, June 21, 2015 

Election 14, The Middle Earth of PH Politics, by Doy Romero, June 24, 2015 

Election PH 15, Who's the least welfarist?, August 07, 2015 

Election PH 16, The Presidentiables and the Iglesia militants, August 29, 2015

Election PH 15, Who's the least welfarist?

Yesterday during the Ateneo Eagle Watch briefing, the third speaker was Rappler's Maritess Danguilan-Vitug. Her talk was about "Scenarios for 2016."

She talked mainly about the four leading candidates. I mix her 2 slides in one image here, to save space.

Personally, I can support Sen. Grace Poe's candidacy as her being a "newbie" or "inexperienced" means being inexperienced in heavy political populism and welfarism, or corrupting the minds of the public that they can be less responsible about their lives, anyway government will do many things for them, from education and books for the poor, healthcare and medicines for the poor, to housing and relocation for the poor, to cash transfer and condoms for the poor, to iPad and cars for the poor, soon?

Mar Roxas used to be free market-leaning, then  he became populist as he was getting desperate in 2009 for his 2010 Presidential ambition. How he can go back to being market-friendly is a big question mark. But at least he's not involved in large-scale corruption and robbery scandals. But his wife, ahh.... no comment.

Jojo Binay, definitely corrupt, can  surpass Marcos robbery if he becomes President. From a bright, poor human rights lawyer until February 1986, he was appointed by former President Cory as OIC Mayor of Makati in  March 1986, he and his family taught that Makati City is their political kingdom forever. They got very rich, super rich, and they are not  known for any fair business acumen, just being in dirty politics.

Duterte, at one time I thought that he is mentally sick because the words "Patayin", "barilin","kill", were too frequent in his mouth. I thought that  only very violent minds can say those things, repeatedly, in national media, and not feeling  sorry about it. I can understand  the impatience of many Filipinos that there are too  many rotten  eggs in government, both local and national, both civilian and armed, including the businessmen they are protecting. But resorting to  outright murders, state-sponsored murders, is not the way to address it.

Ok, who's the least welfarist, least enamored to BIG government, big and many taxes and borrowings, more regulations and  permits, of these 4 or  more Presidential candidates?

Hard to answer that. But maybe Grace Poe and Mar Roxas, maybe. But definitely not Binay.
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See also:

Market Reforms in the 2016 Elections, May 25, 2015

Election 11, Dr. Doy Romero on Binay, Roxas and Grace Poe, June 01, 2015 

Election 12, JV Bautista and Toilet Politics, June 05, 2015 

Election 13, Bernard Ong's Analysis, June 21, 2015 

Election 14, The Middle Earth of PH Politics, by Doy Romero, June 24, 2015

Binay Dynasty, 29+ Years in Makati

For the first time in 29 years and 4 months (March 1986 to July 2015), Makati City has experienced a non-Binay as City Mayor. The premier city known as the country's financial center has Jejomar "Jojo" Binay (the country's Vice President, 2010 to present) as Mayor for many years, and in between the max 3-terms limit for Jojo, his wife, Elenita Binay, served as Mayor. Then Jojo goes back again as Mayor. Then when his second set of 3-term limits ended, his son, Jun-jun Binay became Mayor.

The family is accused of plunder and large-scale robbery at the Ombudsman. Mayor Junjun was suspended by the Ombudsman last March over plunder cases in the over-pricing of Makati Parking building. Vice Mayor Kid Pena took his oath as Acting Mayor but Junjun managed to get a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the Court of Appeals (CA).

Yesterday, a second suspension order was served by the Ombudsman, over the over-pricing of Makati Science HS building. Again, Junjun and supporters opposed the suspension order. They also ran to the CA to get another TRO but they failed, the CA set various conditions before it would grant another TRO. So Junjun was forced to step down.

The Binay clan is the most extensive political dynasty in the country of all time. Four members of the family are high government officials: (1) VP Jojo Binay, the father; (2) Sen. Nancy Binay, the older daughter; (3) Congresswoman Abigail Binay, the younger daughter; and (4) suspended Mayor Junjun Binay, the son. (5) Mrs. Elenita Binay, the wife, was an ex-Mayor too.

VP Binay's multiple political tentacles continue as he aims to be the next President of the country in 2016. The old man, perhaps approaching 80 years old, is also the President of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) for 1-2 decades now. So greedy with power and the various perks and privileges associated with the BSP, he never relinquished this organization of mostly elementary school students nationwide.

Last week, the VP resigned from his Cabinet positions in the PNoy government, particularly as head of HUDCC and another body in charge of OFWs. His position there for several years is also known for some corruption scandals.

Sen. Koko Pimentel asked him to attend a Senate investigation about those corruption allegations. The VP sent this arrogant letter to the Senator.

"Magpakalalaki ka", hehehe. Too bad for him, Sen. Pimentel is more transparent, more "manly" than him and sent him this reply.

The VP is scared when challenged to public testimonies -- at the Senate, at the Ombudsman -- so he can disprove serious accusations and allegations of plunder and large-scale robbery.

VP Binay, you should change tack now. If there is nothing to hide, face those accusers. But if you have lots to hide, better back off from your Presidential ambition, admit wrong doing and ask for forgiveness from the public.

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See also:
Branding Via Clans, Not Philosophy, April 05, 2013
Weekend Fun 41: Nancy Binay, Grace Poe, Other Politicians, May 25, 2013 
Weekend Fun 52: Nixon had Watergate, Binay has Dasma Gate, December 20, 2013
 Dr. Doy Romero on Binay, Roxas and Grace Poe, June 01, 2015  
Bernard Ong's Analysis on Binay, Poe, June 21, 2015

Election 14, The Middle Earth of PH Politics, by Doy Romero

The Presidential and local elections in the Philippines are just 10 1/2 months away. Generally it will be a battle between which side of Big Government advocates will prevail. Nonetheless, we can delineate or distinguish them which side will advance Big Government + Big Private Monopolies and Oligopolies, vs. Big Government + Competitive Economy.

I think the old and traditional politicians like VP Binay belong to the former while newbies like Sen. Grace Poe may belong to the later, am not sure.

What about good governance? For me, Big Government = bad governance There is little or no justification why bureaucracies, regulations, permits, taxes, fees, fines, mandatory contributions, etc. should be as many as possible.

In the absence of a political party in this country that advocates limited and small government, free marketers like me can only compromise with candidates or political parties that somehow advocate more economic freedom and less monopolies, oligopolies, which are always created by government via Constitutional restrictions and franchising system.

This article by my former Prof. in a Political Science subject in UP Diliman in the 80s, Dr. Segundo "Doy" Romero, is another sharp analysis and can help guide voters who among the different political parties and factions can advance more economic freedom and who can oppose it. Sir Doy posted this in his fb wall, reposting with his permission.

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The Battle for "Middle Earth" Begins

 Dr. Segundo Romero

June 24, 2015

The resignation of Jejomar Binay from the Cabinet of President Aquino is a declaration of war. Now the campaign for the Presidency in 2016 is unofficially open. The battle lines are drawn. Consolidation of forces begin.

The Binay declaration of war is timed to prevent other opposition contenders from prematurely declaring and committing themselves to the fight for the Presidency. If they do, it will take time and a lot of resources before they and their core supporters can be cajoled to give up their presidential ambitions and agree to put themselves behind Binay. That would waste at least six months of preparation for and conduct of war.

Now that Binay is the default leading opposition contender, he can now begin to consolidate the fragmented opposition. He is hopeful despite the polls showing he is steadily losing the people's favor, for he finds himself in fertile opposition ground. PNoy has so changed the political landscape that he has created powerful enemies among the traditional elite and political families. These families, while themselves competitors and rivals for slices of political and economic power, are willing to set that aside at this time, just to bring back the old rules of the game of politics where they perform exceedingly well..

Jejomar Binay is the man for this nostalgic return to the status quo ante, the return to the good old days. There is no doubt He is open to negotiation. He is an astute cobbler of win-win situations with political factions and other parochial tribes. So, he will be busy building the forces of the future Binay empire, selling shares of stock to the following, who must now be eagerly waiting to make deals with him:

Class A: The Core Ex-Presidential families

1. The Macapagal-Arroyo family and loyalists

2. The Estrada family and loyalists

3. The Marcos family and loyalists

Class B: The "Penumbra" Dynasties, such as

4. The Enrile family and loyalists

5. The Bong Revilla family and loyalists

Class C: The Issue advocates, such as

6. The "progressive" groups who have been calling on PNoy to resign

7. The various opponents of the Tuwid na Daan in the government

8. The various opponents of the Tuwid na Daan in the private business sector

9. The passionate advocates or opponents of very specific policies (FOI, BBL, CCT, K-12) who are disaffected

Class D: The Spurned Supporters

10. The various enthusiasts of the Tuwid na Daan who have been variously slighted, rejected, abandoned, and now decry what they claim to be the Baluktot na Daan

Class E Middle Earth

At this early point, there is also a big chunk of the electorate who are unattentive, just observers or hecklers of the passing political scene, who are yet uncommitted, perhaps as much as 60 percent of the electorate. The polls show they are the voters who are lower in socio-economic status and farther from Manila. They are in the middle between the Binay camp and the Poe camp. They are the Middle Earth.

This is a source of hope for Binay. The Binay touch had shown wonders here in the 2010 elections, using local government officials and leaders to transact electoral support the way cobradors of jueteng fan out to the countryside.

Binay's assets are frozen and, under the watchful eye of the public, cannot be renewed or augmented through public coffers as in the past. He needs the subscription of various investors and stakeholders to his campaign.

His promises will be weighty, because Grace Poe, will not be willing to enter into these sweetheart deals, using the Presidential prerogatives as a futures commodity to be traded.

The reason Grace Poe has edged Binay from the presidential preference polls is that she has served as the consolidation point for all those who advocate for continued good governance and rejection of corruption.

The Binay declaration of war simply creates a parallel, symmetric consolidation around two opposite poles -- the experienced but tainted, the inexperienced but principled.

For the first time since the Ferdinand Marcos-Cory Aquino face-off in 1986, we will have another face-off between just two major opponents -- Binay and Grace Poe. .Any other candidate will serve to be a muddler -- serving only to draw votes from any of these two primary contending forces. Mar Roxas and Duterte are in this category.

SWS and Pulse Asia, working independently but validating each other's reading of the people's political pulse, will ensure that no politicians will be blinded with illusory hopes of personal grandeur.

With social media as the new powerful channel of information between candidate and voter, the 2016 elections will be the neatest, sharpest reflection of the people's will in a long, long, time.

It will tell us whether the Filipino people essentially judge on the basis of the "aliwalas ng mukha" factor, or the "lalim ng bulsa" factor.

For the first time since Cory Aquino, the Philippines is poised to have a majority president in 2016. The question is, Binay or Poe? I already have my answer, and it makes me smile.

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See also:

Election 10: Comelec Critics and Commissioner Luie Guia, December 26, 2015 

Market Reforms in the 2016 Elections, May 25, 2015

Election 11, Dr. Doy Romero on Binay, Roxas and Grace Poe, June 01, 2015 

Election 12, JV Bautista and Toilet Politics, June 05, 2015 

Election 13, Bernard Ong's Analysis, June 21, 2015

Election 13, Bernard Ong's Analysis

I do not want to do serious political analysis of the coming May 2016 Presidential, Senatorial and local elections in the Philippines for several reasons. First, my hands are full  with other papers to write and I often miss deadlines. Second, there is no single free market-leaning national candidate or political party. And third, there are so many analysts of this subject around, it is entertaining to read them, from the sensical ones to the absurd. 

So I resort to reposting the ideas of some friends whom I think make useful analysis. Below, some random thoughts posted by a friend way back from UP Diliman in the 80s, Bernard Ong, in his fb wall. Reposting these with his permission.

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June 16:  

Serge Osmena is the premier campaign strategist of the Philippines. Local version of Karl Rove or David Axelrod. He saved the Pnoy candidacy in 2010. Villar was polling well vs Pnoy, until Serge took over the campaign management & messaging.

Here's what he has to say for 2016: Grace Poe should run as an independent. She can win w/o a party. Like Miriam or Roco before, plus the FPJ magic. Poe should drop Chiz. He will be a baggage to Poe for people who don't like him.

Exactly my thoughts. The added bonus is she can govern w/o political debts afterward. Our current party system is a joke - local parties are mainly a mix between personality cult, marketplace for exchanging political favors, and exclusive club for rich families.

June 18-20: 

Binay went to 3 markets in Antipolo - shaking hands, asking for votes, giving away wheelchairs & T-shirts with his face & slogan. Typical trapo & epal stuff. HIndi daw campainging. Part daw ng kanyang official duties (which are Housing & OFWs).

Law on premature campaigning is flawed. It only covers acts after one files his candidacy. Any campaigning before that is allowed. It should be amended to cover retroactive acts by eventual candidates. Meanwhile we should not vote those who use technicalities to go around the spirit of the law. Like this thief & liar.
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Biggest gainers in lastest survey: Poe & Duterte. Biggest losers: Binay & Others. Shortlist seems to be Poe, Duterte, Binay, Roxas (unless he drops out). Erap only comes in if Binay can't run. Otherwise, he "endorses" Binay but his followers vote FPJ/Poe.

Poe can win this 1-on-1. Or 1-on-3. Duterte not so because of narrower base & appeal. Nice to have both "outsiders" trending positively. Major parties (UNA & LP) should be on panic mode. All the e-pal, premature campaigning & preemptive strikes aren't working. Probably thinking of Plan B which is PCOS & Smartmatic.

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Drilon said "No party convention needed. Mar is the man." Good. I'd like Mar to run for President. It will cure his itch & redistribute some of that fabled Roxas-Araneta-Ayala wealth.

More important, it will keep Grace Poe free of Liberal Party baggage. Beyond May 2016, those responsible for PDAF, DAP & Mamasapano should be held accountable. Without political debts to worry about.

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"A P-Noy endorsement of Roxas is clearly a secret vote for Binay. Roxas is one weak challenger to Binay and it is doubtful public sentiment will drastically change."

It is Poe vs Binay now. I've said this before: Poe can beat Binay 1 on 1. Poe can beat Binay + Roxas + Duterte 1 on 3. Machinery is over-rated. The game has changed.

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Binay's preemptive strikes (residency, citizenship) & half-baked apologies backfired big time. It firmed up Poe's resolve. And changed the storyline from Binay-vs-Others (where he had a comfortable lead) to Binay-vs-Poe. Or more accurately Looter-vs-Orphan. Unwinnable for him without Smartmatic intervention.

In effect, Binay annointed Poe to be the anti-Binay alternative. Drove most of the "Anybody But Binay" millions into one candidate. Under the spotlight, Poe parried the attacks skillfully. And now we have Poe-vs-the-Rest. Salamat Toby Tiangco!

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Personally, I wish that Sen. Grace Poe will run for President. Her being a "newbie" compared to Binay, Roxas, Duterte, Estrada, etc. is for me, an advantage. It means less political baggage and old compromises. When a candidate is financially- and politically-indebted to certain economic interests, it  is hard to decline their political and business "requests." Thus, it is easier for that "newbie" to further advance trade and investment liberalization in the country than candidates who were long indebted or engaged to local monopolists, duopolists and oligopolists.
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See also:

Election 9: India's Political Dynasties vs. Democracy, April 21, 2014 

Election 10: Comelec Critics and Commissioner Luie Guia, December 26, 2015 

Market Reforms in the 2016 Elections, May 25, 2015

Election 11, Dr. Doy Romero on Binay, Roxas and Grace Poe, June 01, 2015 

Election 12, JV Bautista and Toilet Politics, June 05, 2015

Manila Flooding Torture

This afternoon, around 3:15pm, there was heavy rain for an hour in Makati, then light rains for the next 20 minutes or so. Many parts of Metro Manila experienced such downpour, also some surrounding provinces. Many streets were flooded.

(photo from ANC24; descent from Skyway, going to Buendia intersection, Makati)

Heaaaavvyy traffic followed in many areas of the metropolis, especially in Buendia and Ayala Avenue in Makati.  Productivity losses today is big; fuel consumption by cars and buses is big. I think this unresolved flooding in many Makati streets will affect the candidacy of VP Binay in 2016.

That area at the PNR rails, Mayapis st-Buendia near SLEX flyover, is a perennial headache. Flash flood from Ayala, Buendia, other streets go to that small and narrow creek. The Binays were the Mayors (father, mother, now the son) of Makati for 28 years now, uninterrupted. They could have done something significant in that area. 

(photo from inquirer.net; Skyway and Buendia-SLEX intersection below, Makati)

One reason why I support another reclamation project in Manila Bay is that the many creeks and rivers in the metropolis need large scale, monster and sustained dredging. Get all those mud, soil and solid wastes and dump them not in sanitary landfills in Quezon City or Montalban or Bulacan, but in a new land to be created at Manila Bay. It's the quickest and cheapest solution that I can think of to minimize frequent street flooding in Makati, other cities of Metro Manila.

A friend suggested that the projected sea level rise will endanger MM and other major urban centers of the country. Well, that projected sea level rise is more alarmist and sensational than realistic. A good paper from Ed Caryl in NTZ, Data Show Holocene Sea Levels TrendingDownwards…2 Meters Higher 4000 And 7000 Years Ago! (05 May 2014),

In the last 8000 years, sea level has been substantially higher than at present, up to 2 meters or more higher in two periods four to seven thousand years ago. Sea level during the Holocene has been falling since that period.

(See level rise from 22,000 to 6,000 years ago.)

A friend who has worked for more than 15 years in Makati, Eniale S.,said that there was major drainage re-piping on both sides of the railroad (intersection Buendia & SLEX) from former Eastern Telecoms and where the new Cash n' Carry is now, across the railroad up to Makati Med area. Huge drainage pipes, diameters that can accommodate a regular-sized car, and heavy equipment were used for more than a year. 

The creek in that area, Mayapis St. along the rail tracks, is simply too narrow, too shallow, to absorb huge volume of flood waters from many parts of Makati.

Good project by the Makati City government then. But I think the drainage is not regularly dredged. Just one heavy flash flood can bring in tons of mud and solid waste into the belly of those drainage pipes, and there are many flash floods yearly. If they are not cleared and dredged yearly, perhaps even a tricycle would no longer fit in those huge pipes. And that contributes to frequent street flooding.

It's a pity that Buendia-Ayala-Pasay Road network is where the employees, managers and CEOs of many of the country's big companies and financial institutions pass daily, and they are subjected to this regular traffic torture. 

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See also:
Climate Tricks 23: Using Typhoon Haiyan for Climate and Energy Rent-Seeking, November 30, 2013 
Global Warming Hits the Philippines, Part 3, January 26, 2014 
Climate Tricks 27: More Risks and Danger Ahead, Send More Money to the UN, April 01, 2014

Weekend Fun 53: Mayor Days be Merry and Binays

Mayor days be merry and bright
and Mayor all Christmas be white.

Binays (be nice), be not naughty
Santa Claus is coming to town.

Mayor Christmas always Binays.

Mayor dreams in Malacanang not come true. :-)

These are some of the revised Christmas carols here in Manila after Makati Mayor Junjun Binay's Dasma gate. Typical Pinoy humor.

On the famous umbrella at night and it was not raining, here are some comments in facebook...

may iba nagpayong at gabi pa... mainit ba buwan?

Oo nga, bakit pinapayungan sa gabi? Nilalamig ang bumbunan!?!

I can understand Imelda Marcos with the umbrella, that was then. Baka matunaw sa ambon?

bakit kaya pinapayungan? baka tamaan ng kidlat?

may payong sa gabi at walang ulan... baka matunaw ang whitening lotion?

Good points from Jim Paredes:

The Binays' pattern of politics seems to be clear. It is not based on any rule of law. Everything is about personal exemptions, pakiusap, entitlement. Remember, he volunteered to talk to 'his classmate' Nur Misuari during the Zambanga siege? He suggested letting the rebels exit through a 'corridor of safety' instead of charging them according to law. His son wanted to be exempt from the gate rules as 'courtesy or entitlement for being mayor. Let's not forget the relief goods with his name and picture. 

According to one FB post, when the Binays shop in Rustans Makati, they park their cars in the front entrance and wait there leaving everyone to walk to their cars even on a rainy day. Many more stories are coming out.

Di ba dapat tapos na tayo sa ganitong pulitika?

And from the Inquirer:

"The security guards who figured in the controversy will receive plaques of appreciation from residents of Dasmariñas Village. 

Mike Bucoy, general manager of Dasmariñas Village Association, said the plaques of appreciation would be handed to the security guards during the employees’ Christmas Party. 

The security guards will also receive Christmas baskets from the homeowners’ association, Bucoy said. Bucoy said the security guards did nothing wrong by refusing exit to Binay’s group at the Banyan gate. 

He added that the village did not have a VIP policy, contrary to the statement of Ram Antonio, head of Eight Right Security Inc.

Ang pamilya. Bow.

(All photos here from various postings/sources in facebook, none of which I made myself)
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See also: 

Weekend Fun 41: Nancy Binay, Grace Poe, Other Politicians, May 25, 2013

Weekend Fun 50: Pacquiao, Rios and Pacman U., November 30, 2013 

Weekend Fun 51: Martilyo Gang Jokes, December 20, 2013 

Weekend Fun 52: Nixon had Watergate, Binay has Dasma Gate, December 20, 2013

Anti-Smoke Belching Racket, Part 5, April 02, 2013 

Pol. Ideology 38: Branding Via Clans, Not Philosophy, April 05, 2013

Weekend Fun 52: Nixon had Watergate, Binay has Dasma Gate

Two jokes from Jim Paredes, a famous Filipino singer, posted in his facebook wall:

(1) Nixon had Watergate. Binay has Dasma gate

(2) Attention Napocor, Meralco: Habang kulang ng power sa buong Pilipinas, may excessive power surge sa Makati! :-) 

The Binay family is the longest-reigning, most politically influential in Makati City, the financial capital of the Philippines. Currently in power are Vice President Jojo Binay, daughter Sen. Nancy Binay, another daughter Congresswoman Abby Binay, and son Makati Mayor Junjun Binay. The wife of the VP was also a former Mayor of Makati.

Last November 30 this year, an incident happened inside Dasmarinas Village, Makati City. Before 12 midnight, Mayor Junjun and his backup vehicles wanted to get out of the Banyan gate, fronting Mckinley Road. Dasma village security guards that night did not allow him to exit. The policy is by 10pm, minor gates like Banyan, Lumbang and Mantrade gates, entry only for cars with Dasma village resident sticker, but even residents cannot exit there. They must use the two main gates at Palm Ave. and Pasay Road.

The Mayor and his security insisted that they should get out of that gate, a stand off occurred. The guards at the gate called more guards while the Mayor called the Makati police. Pinoy humor kicks in, as usual, with these photos, all posted in facebook. The "real reason" why the Mayor could not get out of the gate -- Gandalf stopped them. :-)

During the brief stand off, a guard of the Mayor was caught on CCTV loading bullets in his gun and went to the village security guards. Scenes like this attracted public anger, as expected. Mayabang, arogante.

When the Makati police came, they forced open the bar, then dragged the three village security to the police station. Earlier report from the Inquirer said the 3 guards were dragged then detained for four hours before being allowed to go back to the village.

One beauty of CCTVs. They allow the photos and videos to speak for themselves.

Meanwhile, two more jokes from Jim Paredes:

(3) 'There are people bent on putting my family's name in bad light.' – Nancy Binay

Ay naku Mam, Totoo yan. Kilala ko sila. Si Jojo, JunJun, Nancy, Elenita, Abigail daw ang mga pangalan..

(4) Let’s not make a big deal about it. It was only a Christmas get-together between the guards & bodyguards. Mayor was even invited. Notice the Christmas lights? The giveaway were umbrelas. The PNP upon hearing about the occasion joined in..

Case closed!

Ang pamilya. Bow.
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See also: 

Weekend Fun 41: Nancy Binay, Grace Poe, Other Politicians, May 25, 2013
Weekend Fun 48: On Being Old and Crazy, September 14, 2013
Weekend Fun 49: Lefties Songs, October 12, 2013 

Weekend Fun 50: Pacquiao, Rios and Pacman U., November 30, 2013 

Weekend Fun 51: Martilyo Gang Jokes, December 20, 2013 

Anti-Smoke Belching Racket, Part 5, April 02, 2013 

Pol. Ideology 38: Branding Via Clans, Not Philosophy, April 05, 2013

Election Watch 6: On Political Dynasty

* This is my guest post in antipinoy.com today.
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Getting voters’ support is mainly about political branding. Political parties as engines of politicians to capture political power, national and local, are originally Ideology-based. Meaning they represent unique ideologies and political philosophies that are distinguishable from each other.

This is not happening in the Philippines and many other countries. Here, almost all political parties promise or say the same things – more populism, expand welfare and subsidies, expand regulations, do not cut or reduce taxes, good governance, fight corruption – even if many of the politicians in those parties are associated with corrupt practices in the past and present.

So voters cannot distinguish one political party from the other. The only clear distinction they can make is on the personalities who lead those parties. The old political names and clans that have been there for several decades. In short, the use of clans as main political brand, not the political parties, and many voters have accepted this shift in political branding.

The major political ideologies are socialism/communism, liberalism/free market, and conservatism/authorititarity. See an earlier discourse with definitions here, Collectivism, Conservatism and Liberalism. But variants have been invented, like social democracy (soc-dem), liberal democracy (lib-dem), national democracy (nat-dem), social liberals (soc-libs), social conservatism, christian democracy, environmentalism, and so on. Their definitions can interlap and be varied, depending on who is defining what.

In the Philippine Senatorial elections this coming Monday, May 13, 2013, these family names are the front runners: Legarda, Binay, Cayetano, Aquino, Escudero, Ejercito/Estrada, Poe, Pimentel, Villar.

Nancy Binay is a never-heard lady nationally until November 2012. When she was drafted to the UNA senatorial slate last December, she suddenly belonged to the top 15. Now she is ranked 3-4. She is the eldest daughter of Vice President Jojo Binay, her sister is Makati Congresswoman Abi Binay, and her brother is Makati Mayor Junjun Binay.

Alan Cayetano is the son of former Senator Rene Cayetano, his sister is current Senator Pia Cayetano.

Bam Aquino is the first cousin of President Noynoy Aquino, who is the son of former President Cory Aquino and nephew of former Senators Butz Aquino and Tessie Aquino-Oreta.

JV Ejercito is the son with the other woman of former Vice President Erap Estrada. His half brother is current Senator Jinggoy Estrada, whose mother, Loi Estrada, was also a former Senator.

A friend, Singapore-based Pinoy, Doods de los Reyes, made this observation about Nancy Binay and the other political clans.

Ibalik na lang ang two-party system para tigilan na din yung padding ng mga kumakandidato at piling-pili lang talaga yung lalaban.

Kumbaga sa liga ng basketball, madaming team pero konti lang yung magaling sa bawat team tapos pati yung dating nag-ballboy ng 20 years sa ibang team kinuha mo na ring player para lang mapuno yung roster mo ng 12 na pangalan.

Ikumpara mo sa All Star game, dalawa lang ang team pero lahat magagaling at deserving. Tapos huhugot ka sa dalawang naglalaban ng cream of the crop na matatawag mo nang Dream Team. Siguro naman deserving din ang Pilipino na pang-Dream Team level ang magre-represent sa atin sa politika. Tama na ang larong buko, Dream Team naman ang suportahan natin.

(Let us go back to the two-party system to stop padding of candidates and only the chosen ones can run. Like in a basketball league, there are many teams but only a few good players in each team. The former ballboys for 20 years in other teams are tapped just to complete the 12 players roster.

Compare it with the All Star game, only two teams and both are good and deserving. Then you get players from both teams and get the cream of the crop to be called the Dream Team. Filipinos deserve a Dream Team to represent Philippine politics. Enough of coconut games, let us support a Dream team)

I like Doods’ proposal to go back to the two-party system. Usually the debates in public policy can be narrowed down to public choice of more or less government. Do we need more regulations or less? More taxes or less? Are 10 signatures and permits to start and renew a business enough (and be increased) or should they be reduced? The two-party system can address that debate in a clear, direct and more explicit way. Many opportunists and thieves hide in grey areas aka 3rd or 4th or 5th opinion and political parties.

Like the basketball league example of Doods, politicians in a two-party system are forced to undergo a party convention. They have to convince their party mates first before they can convince the rest of the voters. In a multi-party system with no follow up elections for the top two parties, even the lousiest but megalomaniac and moneyed candidates can put up a party anytime and run for elections.

Doods added:

Typical Philippine scenario: a political personality is not picked up as a candidate by any existing party so he sets up his own. Checks the surveys to see what issues the voting majority care about and then bases the new party's platform on these issues while taking the popular position. Forms his team from whoever is available with the name, looks, personality, political pedigree (however long ago that was), or a last name that fits with whatever catchy acronym the party can come up with a-la Words With Friends. Launch the party and barnstorm the countryside with backup dancers and karaoke CDs, dance choreographers, and cohorts who will ask the planted questions. Wash, rinse, and repeat as necessary for the succeeding elections.

Again, I agree with Doods’ observation. One good example was former President Fidel V. Ramos (FVR). He has no political party then, so he joined Laban Party and squared with former House Speaker Ramon Mitra in the 1991 Party convention. He lost, so he put up his own political party, Lakas. With many other Presidential candidates in the 1991 elections, Ramos got only about one third of the total votes but he was number 1, so he became President.

Another example is Senator Miriam Santiago. It seemed that no major political party was interested to get her and endure her mouth, so she put up her own party, the People's Reform Party (PRP) where she ran for President also in the 1992 elections. Her party did not attract many known politicians, it was put up mainly for her candidacy.

Uf people have to finger-point "who's to blame" for the low political maturity of the Filipino voters, we can point the finger to the political parties themselves because of their failure to stick to ideology-based political branding.

The party list (PL) system has further bastardized and idiotized the ideology-based political branding. There are too many PLs that advance no unique political ideology, they only advance their sectoral, parochial, or industry interests. Thus, they only contribute to political opportunism and corruption in the country.

There is no need to enact an “anti-political dynasty” law. So long as political parties say and promise the same things, political dynasties and the politics of personalities are here to stay.

So in the next round of Constitutional change, the PL system should be abolished and we must consider a return to the two party system.

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See also:Election Watch 2: On Celebrities as Politicians, August 19, 2012
Election Watch 3: Defining Celebrities, Politicians and the State, August 30, 2012 
Election Watch 4: Senatoriables on Healthcare, March 08, 2013 
Election Watch 5: Sin Tax Law, Hospital Over-regulation and Senatoriables, May 07, 2013

Pol. Ideology 38: Branding Via Clans, Not Philosophy

* This is my 5th guest post in antipinoy.com, posted today.
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Late February this year, I posted this short comment in my facebook wall,

“I googled "Nancy Binay", nothing significant, nada. So this is true.”

39 years old, no prior elective post, held only family-managed NGOs. Never joined a prestigious corporation. Simply being a "Binay". She's likely to win, and she will author Senate bills that will regulate private enterprises, private individuals, civil society.

A friend told me that she went to UPSE in the 90s, but did not finish there, transferred to another college. Her car's plate number while in UP was simply BINAY, not the LTO-issued letters + numbers.

According to this rappler story, she finshed BS Tourism in UP in 1997, held NGO posts like Brighthalls Children’s Foundation, Bigay Pagmamahal Foundation, Serbisyong Tunay Foundation, Inc, Jejomar C Binay (JCB) Foundation, 

http://www.rappler.com/nation/politics/elections-2013/17958-nancy-binay-the-accidental-candidate

If Nancy Binay lands in the top 6 this coming May elections -- almost a never-heard political identity until this campaign period -- then VP Jojo Binay will most likely be our next President in 2016. The family's media handlers made a good political brand for the family: "Kay Binay, gaganda ang buhay". And Makati's high taxes, high bureaucracies regime to finance a welfarist nirvana will be imposed on the rest of the country.

A friend commented that the propagation of dynasties like Binays is a result of “having too much liberty." He is wrong. This is a case instead of too much government.

Government can tell businessmen how much they can keep out of their gross revenues, government can tell us when we can NOT drive our own car. In some sectors, government can tell companies how much they should price their products, how much discounts they should give to sectors senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs). That is why the most scheming, the most opportunistic people in the population are attracted to politics, especially to high positions like Congress and the Senate. They need not own businesses but they can regulate and tell businesses how they should behave, via regulations and legislation.

Political branding

Theoretically, political branding should be via political parties with distinct political ideologies  -- socialist, fascist, nationalist, liberal, conservative, etc. This distinction is absent in our political parties and coalitions. All political parties here are welfarist-populist, voters hear generally the same promises from politicians of endless subsidies. So to distinguish themselves from others, the politicians shifted to  personality- or leadership-oriented campaign. And that is where known political names and personalities rise: Aquinos, Binays, Enriles, Estradas, Arroyos, Revillas, Villars, and so on.

“Is there no end really to this political dynasty in our country?” Another friend asked.

I think the answer is Yes. There is No end to political dynasty until political parties go back to ideology-based campaigns. Politicians do not go through a strict political convention where they are scrutinized by party members who are fully cognizant of their political philosophy and ideology. Liberals can never and should never be in the same party as socialists and conservatives and vice versa. But here, they share the same bed because they do not live with those specific political philosophy anyway.  It is mainly a question of "winnability", money and political network.

“With the kind of government we have, no matter how we bark..in many aspects in our lives as Filipinos..we are helpless...i mean the majority ...considering how dirty politicians play their tricks…” Still another comment.

Right so. All the campaigns for "BIG but good governance" will result only in more disappointments. The anti-corruption campaign and sentiment since People Power Revolution or Edsa1 in 1986 has produced no significant reduction in corruption, but government has expanded larger and larger, from local to national levels. The campaign should be for less government, not “good governance.” How? At least by NOT supporting many new legislation, new subsidy programs unless government will also shrink or abolish some existing subsidy programs.

“We, the people are the victims...forever?” Another friend asked.

To a large extent, the answer is YES. Government is coercion. It is not a tennis club or rotary club or church fellowship or other voluntary orgs that when you get tired, you just resign from membership and stop paying your annual dues. In government, even if you have corrupt legislators, lazy policemen, rude local governments, etc., choice is zero. We just have to continue paying for them. 

Nonetheless, I am not attracted to the philosophy of anarchy (zero authority, zero government). There is some use to certain government coercion. Like going after armed murderers, thieves and hold-uppers, land grabbers and bank robbers, other criminals. Or resolving disputes among neighbors, among corporations, among clans, if existing non-government dispute settlement mechanisms do not work. Before they start stabbing or shooting each other, government steps in to enforce the rule of law. Promulgating the rule of law is the single most important function of government. All other functions are either secondary or unnecessary.

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See also:
Pol. Ideology 33: Anarchy or Minarchy, July 13, 2012
Pol. Ideology 34: More on Anarchy or Minarchy, July 17, 2012
Pol. Ideology 36: On Capitalism, Akbayan, Drugs Legalization and Toqueville, October 10, 2012
Pol. Ideology 37: Collectivism, Conservatism and Liberalism, October 12, 2012

Rule of Law 19: How to Strengthen RoL?, March 25, 2013