THIS month, we face two elections. The conclave in Rome where the leadership of the 1.4 billion Catholics in the world is decided upon by 133 electors and where all Catholics have no influence at all in the outcome; and the Philippine midterm elections, where the political leadership is voted upon by the millions of Filipinos, yet the outcome has long been determined by our dysfunctional governance system and the aberrant electoral process. To many Filipino Catholics, comparing the conclave to the midterm elections could be blasphemous. They could be wrong.

Conclave

A conclave is held only when a pope dies or abdicates. Convened to choose a successor, the electors are the cardinals, highly educated and experienced in the Church bureaucracy, having attained the highest ranks in their respective dioceses. They start as ordinary priests and go up the ranks as bishops and archbishops to princes of the Church. If elected in a conclave, he attains the highest rank of Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Christ on earth, successor to St. Peter.

Currently there are 252 cardinals but only 133 qualified electors. Those 80 years old and above are proscribed by the Church apostolic constitution. To be elected pope, the papabile needs two-thirds supermajority of 89 votes.

As in many Catholic Church traditions, the conclave has for millennia been steeped in mystery and the arcana of obscure protocols. The ancient ways are shrouded in the mist of time, impenetrable but for some rare instances. Church history is replete with leakages from these consistories providing morsels of compelling stories down the centuries.

As in any assemblage that anoints the most powerful from among themselves, conclaves are not entirely exempt from the exigencies of politics, bargaining, negotiations, and campaigning. In the Catholic faith, the Holy Spirit enlightens the cardinal-electors in their solemn duty but may be cognizant of the unholy political maneuverings and intrigues of the cardinals — who after all are only human, and exclusively male.

A case in point is the first conclave held in the Sistine Chapel in 1492. Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia, nephew of Pope Calixtus III was elected Pope Alexander VI. He bribed and bought the votes with promise of appointments to lucrative positions in the bureaucracy and the Church hierarchy. In 1590 King Philip II of Spain, the most powerful man in Europe, then wanted his own pope. In that conclave, he listed seven cardinals he could accept as pope and another list of 30 he wished to veto (yes, powerful Catholic monarchs had the right of royal veto then — jus exclusivae). The conclave did as he wanted. He got his Pope, Urban VIII who reigned for 12 days. (Wikipedia).

Admittedly excesses plague subsequent conclaves and scandals erupt intermittently to the present day but the Church has managed to impose corrective measures resulting in the election of God's good men, spiritual leaders influencing the directions of the Church, its teachings, and priorities. These are men of moral authority with views and voices spanning secular concerns on global issues on poverty, human rights, climate change and social justice. Post-war popes continue to shape cultural conversations and influence societal norms, not just among Catholics but in broader society — including other faiths.

PH midterm elections — out with the old

Contrast this with our election exercises since decades past when we discontinued electing serious leaders and patriotic politicians of vision. I quote a social media post attributed to former senator Franklin Drilon on the state of Philippine politics. He denied the quote, but the portrayals are valid just the same and probably the reason why it went viral.

"The best evidence of our political system's desperate bankruptcy is the proliferation of actors, actresses and comedians dominating our legislative and executive branches, including the local government units.

"Willy Revillame is a good man. He has helped a lot of people, including the women that he loved. But that doesn't make him prepared for the work of a senator. Philip Salvador is a fine actor. He made many people happy, including Kris Aquino, whom he gifted with a son. But such credentials are not what are needed in the Senate. Lito Lapid is an excellent actor, but he hasn't performed enough in the Philippine Senate. By insisting to remain in the Senate, he effectively eased out the more qualified, the more competent candidates.

"...Bong Revilla...has made politics his family business with his wife and sons all serving the government. Manny Pacquiao is the richest politician, next to the Villars. Of course, he deserves his wealth because he earned all of it. But the fact that he is a world champion in eight different boxing categories doesn't make him prepared as a legislator. Tito Sotto has been a good public servant, but he has served enough and at his age, he should give way to the younger, more dynamic and more progressive legislators. Erwin Tulfo should clarify his citizenship and explain to the people why the Commission on Appointments refused to confirm his appointment as DSWD secretary. Ben Tulfo should stay away from the Senate and should instead leave Raffy Tulfo alone there."

Correcting a defective system

More disturbing are the current reelectionists who during the Gordon Senate blue ribbon committee hearings refused to sign the draft panel report on the anomalies hounding the multibillion-peso Covid-19 contracts of the Duterte government. The multi-billion corruption and plunder were executed at a time of the country's greatest tragedy. They want your votes again: Lito Lapid, Pia Cayetano, Bong Go, Bong Revilla, Francis Tolentino and Imee Marcos.

I will not discuss the qualifications of the rest. I leave that to the individual voter to discern that correcting the systemic dysfunctions of our governance are of primordial importance (www.cdpi.asia). I refer to the systemic defects that have plagued our governance:

– Political patronage is deeply embedded in the political system where public officials prioritize personal gain over the public good and in the process fosters corruption, inequalities, weak institutions, erosion of democratic values and the distortion of the rule of law.

– Political dynasties proliferate, concentrating power in the hands of a few families, limiting political diversity, perpetuating a cycle of inequality and disenfranchisement. And in the Philippine context, political dynasties have married their interest with that of the oligarchy, blurring the lines between economic and political power accumulation.

– The unitary-presidential system of government as practiced in the country is the embryo upon which patronage politics is nurtured, and when paired with our electoral processes, it becomes the overarching environment upon which political patronage incubates.

These systemic anomalies interact resulting in bad governance reinforced by economic provisions in our 1987 Constitution that impede the influx of foreign direct investments (FDIs) which are the lifeblood of economic growth. We have been pushing for political reforms fruitlessly through constitutional revisions since President Cory's time.

Only a few senatorial candidates understand these magnitudes. Knowing their track records, if elected, they will work towards the revision of the 1987 Constitution: Norberto Gonzales, Raul Lambino and Sonny Matula. For what it's worth, we must vote for them.

The Senate President crowed yesterday that the party he nominally coheads, PDP-Laban, has a “pleasant problem” — too many potential senatorial candidates. Koko Pimentel’s estimate is they have up to 20 possible choices for the 12-person slate for the 2019 senatorial race. But his list includes the five administration-affiliated senatorial incumbents up for reelection next year. This is a group that has made noises that, much as it prefers to remain in the administration camp, it is unhappy with the way PDP-Laban has been designating its local leaders and candidates, and therefore prefers to strike out on its own, perhaps in alliance with the other administration (regional) party, Hugpong ng Pagbabago, headed by the President’s daughter and current Davao City mayor, Sara Duterte.

Setting aside, then, the five-person “Force,” the administration-oriented but not PDP-friendly reelectionists (Nancy Binay, Sonny Angara, Cynthia Villar, Grace Poe, and JV Ejercito), what Koko’s crowing over is a mixed bag. Some of them have been floated by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez (with whom Mayor Duterte clashed in recent months): six representatives (Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who is in her last term in the House of Representatives; Albee Benitez, Karlo Nograles, Rey Umali, Geraldine Roman, and Zajid Mangudadatu), three Cabinet members (Bong Go, Harry Roque, and Francis Tolentino), and two other officials (Mocha Uson and Ronald dela Rosa), which still only adds up to 11 possible candidates (who are the missing three?).

Of all of these, the “Force” reelectionists are only fair-weather allies of the present dispensation; their setting themselves apart is about much more than the mess PDP-Laban made in, say, San Juan where support for the Zamoras makes it extremely unattractive for JV Ejercito to consider being in the same slate. Their cohesion is about thinking ahead: Creating the nucleus for the main coalition to beat in the 2022 presidential election. The contingent of congressmen and congresswomen who could become candidates for the Senate, however, seems more a means to kick the Speaker’s rivals upstairs (at least in the case of Benitez and Arroyo) and pad the candidates’ list with token but sacrificial candidates, a similar situation to the executive officials being mentioned as possible candidates (of the executive officials, only Go seems viable, but making him run would deprive the President of the man who actually runs the executive department, and would be a clear signal that the administration is shifting to a post-term protection attitude instead of the more ambitious system-change mode it’s been on, so far).

Vice President Leni Robredo has been more circumspect, saying she’s not sure the Liberal Party can even muster a full slate. The party chair, Kiko Pangilinan, denied that a list circulating online (incumbent Bam Aquino, former senators Mar Roxas, Jun Magsaysay, TG Guingona, current and former representatives Jose Christopher Belmonte, Kaka Bag-ao, Edcel Lagman, Raul Daza, Gary Alejano and Erin Tañada, former governor Eddie Panlilio and Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña) had any basis in fact.

What both lists have in common is they could be surveys-on-the-cheap, trial balloons to get the public pulse. Until the 17th Congress reconvenes briefly from May 14 to June 1 for the tail end of its second regular session (only to adjourn sine die until the third regular session begins on July 23), it has nothing much to do. Except, that is, for the barangay elections in May, after a last-ditch effort by the House to postpone them yet again to October failed.

Names can be floated but the real signal will come in July, when the President mounts the rostrum and calls for the big push for a new constitution—or not. Connected to this would be whether the Supreme Court disposes of its own chief, which would spare the Senate—and thus, free up the legislative calendar—to consider Charter change instead of an impeachment trial. In the meantime, what congressmen do seem abuzz over is an unrefusable invitation to the Palace tomorrow — to mark Arroyo’s birthday. An event possibly pregnant with meaning.

“Then I fall to my knees, shake a rattle at the skies and I’m afraid that I’ll be taken, abandoned, forsaken in her cold coffee eyes.” – A quote from the song, “She moves on” by Paul Simon, singer/songwriter

THE recent tremors affecting the central provinces of Mindanao caused by a series of seismic waves radiating to the northern and southern parts of the island, were like nature shaking a rattle, emitting sharp sounds and unnerving motions from the underground, both frightening and bewildering as to the intensity and confusion they generated.

The successive earthquakes and aftershocks were rattling the nerves not only of residents close to the epicenter but also those living along the active fault planes who were not used to strong earth movements. Some reported dizziness, anxiety, depression and other post-traumatic stress symptoms after experiencing continuous shaking and periodic vibrations.

As this article was written, less frequent but perceptible tremors were felt on the affected areas although everyone is reportedly bracing for aftershocks which many hope and pray, would not turn out to be the dreaded “big one,” as some irresponsible persons are falsely posting on social media. Shake a rattle drum to this latter blokes.

According to Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), since the 1900s, Mindanao has been rocked by at least 35 earthquakes, three of which, felt at “Intensity 7” or worse, were deemed destructive: the 1976 Moro Gulf earthquake which caused a tsunami reaching up to nine meters that killed about 8,000 people including the unaccounted ones; the 1999 series of earthquakes in Agusan del Sur damaging roads, and poorly constructed schools and infrastructure; and the Sultan Kudarat earthquake in 2002, killing eight people with 41 others injured and affecting over seven thousand families in the provinces of Sarangani, North and South Cotabato (Rappler 2019). Shake a rattle of prayers for all who perished in these tragedies.

The series of earthquakes in October of this year, just weeks apart, with magnitudes of over 6 hitting many provinces, again, in Cotabato and southern parts of Davao accounted for the death toll of 22, damaging homes, school buildings and many infrastructure, shaking and sending chills to many residents who have to deal with continuing albeit smaller tremors which can be felt as far up the city of Cagayan de Oro and down the southern province of Sarangani.

Some local officials reported residents having developed “earthquake phobia” keeping watch on their clock hanging inside their tents in evacuation sites, losing sleep with anxiety awaiting when the next tremor would be coming. With frayed nerves, some would panic over even slight ground shakings.

But this is not about the temblor as much as the response of people and the country’s leaders and responsible officials. Except for the government of China which donated P22 million in aid and support for relief efforts in Mindanao, hurray for China, other foreign countries just expressed condolences and messages of sympathy to families of victims. No pledges, no assistance. Perhaps, they can’t trust our government agencies to do the job for them anymore. To them, a shake of the baby rattle.

To the initial bunch of donors who immediately come with their financial assistance such as Yorme Isko Moreno of Manila with his P5 million personal money, Mayor Vico Sotto with relief goods and P14 million coming from the people of Pasig City, Mayor Marcy Teodoro of Marikina with 100 modular tents, movie star Angel Locsin who moved about sans fanfare for her charity work offering food and other assistance to victims in Davao and North Cotabato, to Mayor Inday Duterte for relief distribution, Cebu provincial government for disaster relief campaign and to the many nameless others who came with their relief aids, shake a rattle of joy and thankfulness for their kindness and generosity.

To our government officials and politicians goes our appeal to set aside politics, distribute the relief items according to the wishes of their donors and not allow goods to rot because of political colors as was shown in the previous administration’s handling of donated goods. To them, shake a rattle of enlightenment and peace.

In whatever disaster or crisis that befalls the country, trust Filipinos’ resiliency and coping mechanisms such as resorting to prayers and humor to come to their succor.

Social media become a natural venue for memes, practical jokes and bantering such as the ones which came after Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy reportedly claimed that he caused to stop the earthquakes so they can no longer create damage. To everyone, shake a rattle of laughter and fun while we help provide for the needs of our less fortunate brethren in Cotabato and Davao provinces.