I have my own personal experience of the alliances and political parties that I participated in and supported (although juvenile and vicarious in my younger years) in November of 1953, 1957, 1959, 1961 and 1965 (and would have supported in November 1973 if Martial Law had not been declared and the 1935 Constitution had not been replaced by the 1973 rump “viva voche” Constitution.). The above included the “Magsaysay for President” Movement (MPM), the 1957 and 1965 PPP’s and the 1959 and 1961 Grand Alliances.
From 1981 up to 1988, I participated in the preparation, organization and administration of the PDP and subsequently, PDP Laban. Among others, I believed in Ramon Magsaysay, Raul S. Manglapus and Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel, Jr., when they said that we were preparing for the long run for a politics with a pro people program and self - sacrificing political leaders.
Magsaysay did not live long enough. Both Manglapus and Pimentel mistook themselves for the movements and parties they founded and led, were tempted to take short cuts and eventually lost their movements and parties to traditional and selfish leaders and politicians. Initially, we believed in organizing from the bottom - up but we always lost out to the top to bottom strategy when it came to elections.
The only real chance we ever had was the post EDSA I period from 1986 to 1992, if only our leader (Cory) had taken a longer view than mere transition. The 1987 Legislative Elections and the 1988 Local Elections were the only elections when the advantages of family dynasties, big money and false propaganda were mitigated. Since 1992, to the present, political dynasties, money and lies have widened their margins over good, merit and truth.
Even the party list system mandated by the 1987 Constitution to afford representation to the marginalized and underrepresented, has been taken over by political dynasties, “trapos”, big money and electoral cheating.
Thirty – seven years after the ratification of the 1987 Cory Constitution (which has a non - self - implementing, Anti - Political Dynasty provision) both Houses of Congress are finally seriously working on Anti – Political Dynasty Bills.
Since the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 28, 2025, billions in kickbacks and trillions worth of defective and/or ghost flood control projects have been exposed. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Romualdez Marcos created the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI). The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigated. The Department of Justice (DOJ) investigated and filed cases.
Former DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Catibayan Remulla replaced Duterte lackey Samuel Reyes Martires as Ombudsman. Various divisions of the Sandigan Bayan and several branches of the Regional Trial Courts (RTC) have started to hear cases against government officials and public works contractors.
Activists, Civil Society and critical persons have woken up and shifted into action. Big rallies were held on September 21, 2025, November 30, 2025, and February 25, 2026. The stymied Impeachment of Vice President Sarah Duterte Carpio is finally proceeding in the HOR Committee on Justice.
The ICC trial of former President Rodrigo “Digong” Roa Duterte is proceeding. The US Israeli War on Iran is three weeks old and does not show signs of ending. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz to ships has raised the prices of petroleum products to its highest level since, four years ago, after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
Character assassination, destabilization and coup rumors are on the rise. Although not as serious as prior to EDSA I, EDSA II and our anti GMA campaigns of 2002 – 2006, the situation is shaping up to a confluence of events. Could all of these turn for the good or for the bad?
If in 1986, Cory had organized her own party, consolidated her followers and supporters inside it, actively led and managed it and pushed and propagated its program, we could have had by now, forty years of political development and stability. That would just be seven years short of the forty seven years that the Islamic Republic of Iran has had to consolidate its authority, bureaucracy and ideology.
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