MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines must strengthen its political parties to curb turncoatism and for people to vote based on issues and not personalities, candidates for president said at the Comelec-organized debates on Sunday.
They also said that the unenforced constitutional ban on political dynasties should take into account citizens' rights to run for office by properly defining what dynasties are.
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Former presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said political parties should be issue-based and not personality centered and should be active even between elections since part of their tasks "is the education of the electorate and the articulation of their platforms."
Stronger political parties would lead to a more mature electorate and a more active civil society, he said. "And we have seen this, people are becoming more issue-oriented," he said.
Vice President Leni Robredo said the current culture of politicians jumping between parties weakens the political party system. Robredo, a long-time member of the Liberal Party, said the practice should be banned to prevent the use of parties for political convenience.
"Politicians should join parties because of the platforms," she said, adding the country should discuss whether the current multi-party system works for the Philippines or whether a return to a two-party system would be better. She said that the number of political parties and candidates means the likely election of minority presidents.
Former National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales said that, in the Philippines, most political parties "are just electoral campaign machineries." He said, though, that political parties in other countries have the role of pushing public sentiment, "and of what kind of society that we should have and what economic system would be appropriate."
He said that if political parties are not guided by ideologies and political philosophies, not even banning political dynasties would lead to a better political system.
Still no enabling law for ban on political dynasties
While candidates generally agreed that political dynasties contribute to inequality, Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson said that there is a need for an enabling law for the ban on political dynasties declared in the 1987 Constitution.
"Importante i-define, di puwedeng sabihin na bawal...pero hanggang anong degree? (It is very important to define that. We cannot just say it is prohibited. Up to what degree?)" he said, while acknowledging that political dynasties can lead to warlordism, especially in areas where basic government services are hardly felt.
Sen. Manny Pacquiao, whose brothers Rogelio and Bobby are members of the House, said that he agrees with the constitutional ban on political dynasties, but stressed that officials are elected democratically.
"Unfair naman sa mga pamilya na nag-serbisyo ng tapat at na tumutulong sa taumbayan. Hindi naman lahat ay nagnanakaw sa gobyerno," he said, adding that a ban might violate a citizen's right to run for office.
According to "Political Dynasties in the Philippines: Persistent Patterns, Perennial Problems", a paper by Political Science professor Teresa Encarnacion Tadem, PhD and Asian Studies professor Eduardo Tadem, political dynasties "[monopolize political power and public offices from generation to generation and treating the public elective office almost as their personal property."
The Tadems noted that, after the 2013 midterm elections, "all 80 provinces have political families and 74% of the members of the House of Representatives come from political families."