Straight Talk by Roy Moraleta
Straight Talk

Manila oligarch giants vs the David of the provinces

Sep 23, 2021, 12:53 AM
Roy Moraleta

Roy Moraleta

Columnist

NEXT year’s election is a battle between the oligarch’s politics in Manila and the typically familial politics in the provinces.

No. These politicos should not fool the minding public of their obvious political antics. By comparison, they’re all the same brood of political crooks. They’re all dancing to the same political tune. And they’re all playing by the same rule, and all resorting to the same appeal. All doing the same thing – take advantage and exploit the weakness of the poor. Hence, not one or any of them can make honest claims of sterling records of true democratic public service, that which stands out unsoiled from any form of compromise. No. Not one.

In their so-called “greater” Manila, the oligarchs get the shots. Their maneuvering cannot be any more hidden behind the faces of known political personalities and political movements. The faces of political personalities and political movements are irrelevant. What is important is they find a candidate with the personality and appeal the public will somehow like. They are mere fronts of the true kingmakers who put in the greater investment.

The political genius in Duterte has changed all these. His charismatic appeal needs no backings nor depends on any kingmakers. The structure in Duterte’s political mafia is the complete opposite. In his political book, he gets the shots. Perhaps the genius in him and the profoundness of his appeal draws in not only public patronage but commanding backings from the business sector in his followings. But since the man is never a product of the oligarchs’ handiwork overnight, Duterte maintains greater control and power. It appeared Duterte has mastered that kind of politics, which oligarchs in Manila want to dismantle. Their failure to control the man is a serious setback to their business interests. So long Duterte yields power and his kind of politics remain in play, the Manila kingmakers stay irrelevant, however loud and conceited their influence and power is.

I would argue that should Duterte remain true to his word as a man of and for the masses, and remain to be unquestionably sincere in his agenda to uplift the lives of the Filipino people, and not just those employed in the PNP, Phil Army, and other agencies of government whose lifestyles by now have already improved by doubling their salaries and compensation packages, his style of politics is yet the better choice against the controlling and oppressing politics of the Manila kingmakers.

So yes, next year’s elections will be a battle between the Manila oligarch giants versus the David of the provinces. The David in Duterte has the arsenals to wage a costly political war that equally matches or even more to the resource of the Manila demigods.


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