Zamboanga Sibugay leaders, village chiefs join PDP-Laban

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — More than five thousand local leaders and village officials of Zamboanga Sibugay joined the administration Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban) party in a mass oath-taking ceremony in Ipil town.

 

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez (Davao del Norte), PDP-Laban secretary general, swore in the new party members at the Ipil Central Sport Complex. Rep. Dulce Ann Hofer (Zamboanga Sibugay) was also at the event.

 

Also at the ceremony were former Liberal congressmen Reynaldo Umali (Oriental Mindoro), Albee Benitez (Negros Occidental) and Zajid Mangudadatu (Maguindanao). Reps. Karlo Nograles (Davao City) and Celso Lobregat (Zamboanga City) were also at the event.

 

Alvarez said the oath-taking was part of a campaign to go around the country to strengthen PDP-Laban and in support of President Rodrigo Duterte's call for a shift to federalism.

 

He said while there is strong support in the House on the shift to federalism, there is some opposition to the proposal from members of the Senate.

 

"That's why I am here appealing to you to please not to vote those senators who are against federalism. List their names from now on because they are not for federalism, meaning to they don't want us probinsyanos to develop and progress," Alvarez said.

 

Critics of federalism have said that the existence of political dynasties, or clans that hold on to power over generations, needs to be addressed or political clans will just consolidate power under the new system.

"Whatever form of government we have, if the way we choose our leaders is flawed, no matter what reform you push, it will be hard to believe that the results will change," Ronald Mendoza, dean of the Ateneo School of Government, said at a Senate hearing on federalism.

 

Mendoza indicated that the focus of proposals for the shift to federalism should be on "fair play in the election of leaders and the accountability that we need to have."

 

In 2013, Mendoza published a study for the Asian Institute of Management Policy Center that found that while the existence of political dynasties does not raise or lower poverty in a local government unit, there is "strong evidence that the more severe poverty is, the higher is the prevalence of political dynasties."

 

The study found that poverty exposes voters to political patronage and manipulation by ruling clans that control "the most extensive networks of patronage,accumulated the most political and financial capital, and have the access to the largest political machineries."

 

Rep. Umali said they were surprised at the number of local leaders from the 16 towns of Zamboanga Sibugay who showed up and joined the ruling party en masse.

 

"Congresswoman Ann surprised us. Everyone from Zamboanga Sibugay is here. I wonder who is left in the other parties," Umali, the former Liberal Party stalwart, said.