GLORIA- ROTTEN PINOY POLITICAL CULTURE

The decision of President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo to demote herself by running for a seat in the second district of her home province of Pampanga leaves a bad taste in the mouth and questions whether 'delicadeza' and ethics if not morality is in her vocabulary.

Her action is a sad reflection of the kind political culture we have. That is the bigger picture that I see in her action.

GMA is not alone.Many politicians in this country have clung to power for decades already. They are now well- entrenched in their areas that many became warlords. They think that they own the reins of power in their towns, cities and provinces.

Philippine politicians consider their areas their little kingdoms, they as the ruling depots and their constituents their slaves ready to do their bidding.Many actually made the town hall their career and not many take it personally when they loose their seats during elections.

That is Philippine political culture. There is a power monopoly where the moneyed elite control political power relinquishing it only to to those with their blood line. check the records at the local office of the Commission of Elections and it will show the starling data that those who filed their candidacies are either wives, husbands, brothers, fathers, mothers, sisters, cousins if not in- laws of the incumbents.They believe that there families are the only ones who knows what is best for their constituents.

These fact shows that Filipinos are still politically immature. This country lacks a strong middle class to buffer the distance between the elite and the poor. Sadly, those middle- class who managed to win elections are eaten- up by the rotten system and forget their promises when they where still candidates.

That is the reason why many has left the country not just for greener pastures alone but for sheer frustrations and hopelessness on the situation that we as a nation and people has put this country.

Is there hope? Hope they say is eternal. And, to use a much- abused adage, it starts within each Filipino.