ARE we Filipinos forever cursed with on-off political paralysis?
Our country must move beyond its toxic culture of partisan politics to become a prosperous nation and shed our image as the “sick man of Asia.” But at the rate things are going in the Senate, politics tends to reverse our gains and relentlessly fracture the republic. Deliberations for the 2027 national budget must begin by August, yet lawmakers continue to squabble over the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte and the Senate leadership. Faced with more urgent concerns — the Middle East war, tensions in the Taiwan Strait, rising fuel prices and widespread corruption scandals — this budget season is highly consequential for many Filipinos.
Meanwhile, our neighbors have surged ahead. Vietnam and Indonesia are steadily overtaking us in nominal gross domestic product (GDP) growth, foreign direct investments, manufacturing competitiveness, foreign tourist arrivals, and even labor productivity. The Global Peace Index recorded the Philippines as one of the most politically unstable and crime-afflicted nations in the region.
Much of the problem in such a quagmire arises from the excessive preoccupation of Filipino leaders with partisan politics. Politics, in itself, is not inherently bad. Scholar Harold Lasswell famously defined politics as “who gets what, when and how.” Of course, he was referring to the allocation of resources and preferred public values in education, health care, infrastructure, and national defense. In an ideal democracy, political parties and their elected representatives are supposed to negotiate and compete over policies that will distribute the national wealth effectively and advance the welfare of their constituents, rather than their personal interests.
But in the Philippines, the opposite often takes place.
State resources are narrowly controlled by a handful of competing dynasties at both the national and local levels, excluding millions of Filipinos from better public services, safer streets, wider economic opportunities, or reliable mass transport systems. What Filipinos frequently see are endless feuds and infighting among lawmakers and other top government officials, while the quality of life steadily deteriorates. The evidence is difficult to ignore: we have the lowest Human Development Index, worst traffic congestion, persistent unemployment and underemployment, poor infrastructure, and deep public frustration. As a result, many Filipinos are voting with their feet, by either moving abroad as overseas workers or permanently relocating as immigrants. This mass exodus of talent has fueled a chronic brain drain, with the country’s best doctors, engineers and professionals choosing to leave the country for a better future.
So, the pressing issue is whether we can move beyond partisan politics? Are Filipinos the victims of their own frail democracy?
It now appears difficult for Filipinos to surpass political gridlock because every ruling political family finds it in its interest to engage in a “Game of Thrones”-style competition for power, advancing its dynastic pursuits over the Filipinos’ welfare. For many political dynasties, the priority is not institutional reform, but the protection of their fiefdoms, domination of their opponents, and the transfer of political heirloom to their descendants. Unlike in Singapore or Malaysia, much of our country’s political elite do not embrace the spirit of “noblesse oblige.” It is a French idea that those with wealth, power or privilege are obligated to act with generosity and selflessness toward others. It echoes the biblical passage from the Gospel of Saint Luke: “To whom much was given, much will be required.”
Second, key societal forces — small businesses, academe, civil society, or religious organizations — have been gradually weakened by elite collaboration, losing both their influence and courage as society descended into political polarization. With the assumption of the Arroyos, Aquinos, Dutertes, and Marcoses, many of these societal actors have been intimidated or co-opted into capitulation, losing their moral compass to counterbalance the power of the ruling political and economic elite.
Last, our Philippine military and security forces have failed to rise above political partisanship, as well. Many have chosen to align and connive with politicians in pursuit of promotion and patronage. Historically, armed professional institutions in some countries are relied on to be the counterweight to political elites. As Mao Zedong once said: “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.” Yet, rather than emerging as democracy’s defenders and elite neutralizers, some of the officers in the AFP or the Philippine National Police have condoned the rapaciousness of these political elites, engaging in the same patronage that weakened our democratic institutions.
It is now clear that moving beyond partisan politics would be a herculean task for Filipinos unless genuine structural reforms take place in the country. Whether through constitutional change or even a revolutionary government, the Philippines can no longer afford to wait and again be dragged into another round of jostling by these ruling political elites.
It is time for patriotic Filipinos to mobilize and rechart the country’s destination to avoid losing it.