Occidental Mindoro is akin to other provinces in the Philippines. Politics is being lorded over -- almost exclusively -- by particular personalities or families. Isabela has the Dy's; Ilocos has the Singson's, Marcoses, Valera's; General Santos by the Custodio's; Oriental Mindoro by Valencia's and Umali's; and Occidental Mindoro by Sato and Villarosa.
For one, in Occidental Mindoro, political parties do not really count. Actually, the two contending political personalities are under the party of the present administration. Hence, kung hindi ka kay Sato, kay Villarosa ka.
What accounts for the solidification of personalities' political stronghold? Let me suggest one explanation.
I am a believer that Occidental Mindoro has a pool of potential leaders. That the so called dearth of leaders in Occidental Mindoro is a myth.
The only thing is, these potential leaders are nipped in their buds. What do I mean? Concretely, we have the Sangguniang Kabataan. This mechanism is -- true to its purpose for existence -- a training ground for future politicos (no pun intended). This provides occasion for grassroot-based young people to be in position of leadership. Those who get voted are given training for leadership skills, for facilitation, for consultation, for inter-personal skills, etc. They have their time to manage projects intended for their fellow-youth.
Young as they are, however, they already get a taste of what it means to be immersed in partisan politics. Actually, the SK is and should not be partisan. But, as only the naive would contest this, the SK leaders are reduced to pawns in the process of political machinations of the lording political personalities. This happens specifically when the SK leaders of the barangays come together to choose among themselves the municipal SK leader. And this is repeated in the selection of the provincial SK leader.
As they would eventually narrate, the selection of the municipal and provincial SK leaders are not never influenced by the cold-blooded trapos. Their votes are being courted -- nay, ... are being bought.
One can only wish that these young leaders, who are full of idealism and fiery desire for service, go through a school of leadership where they could have a solid education on the ideals of governance that is based on law and morals and others-centered.
One can only wish that these leaders would finally come to realize that to sit at the foot of the present leaders and learn from their self-serving political styles will not only lead them to become principled future leaders, but is actually more hurting to the province -- that is already suffering at the hands of those who disguise themselves as servants of the people.
Young leaders, rise! Let us change the face of Occidental Mindoro!
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I would just want to share what I have read from Reed with some changes and additions...
Libertarians may wish to opine, what’s “unique” about politicizing every human activity on the planet?
It’s an old trick much beloved by politicians and bureaucrats. Identify something with a figure of speech (“I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”) and then treat it as literal (“You want fries with that?”) Thus, “trapo” becomes a disease and too much "traditional politicking" becomes an “epidemic.”
So maybe it’s time for libertarians to give up demanding rationality from our office-holders (and from the general population who can’t tell the difference between a figure of speech and a plus-size figure) and turn the votes on them:
Dr. Luce Kannon announced today that power-hunger has reached epidemic proportions amongst the nation’s political and bureaucratic classes. “Power-hunger should be classified officially as a disease,” he stated during the unveiling of his National Plan of Action. “Symptoms of power-hunger in elected and appointed officials are easily recognized; their lips move and words slobber out.” The definitive diagnosis is made, however, when the words that slobber out coagulate into phrases claiming that the solution to every problem that afflicts humankind can be solved by bigger, more expensive, more intrusive, more powerful government.
While a few politicians seem to contract power-disease from genetic hand-me-downs (as in the case of grooming politicians in Occidental Mindoro) the vast majority become infected when their "bodies politic" are invaded, typically to a level of 51% or higher, by viruses known to the electoral community as “votes.”
Bureaucrats, on the other hand, develop the disorder almost exclusively from “unfavorable environmental factors.” That is, from hanging out in an environment that breeds power. Since government is a base of power it naturally attracts base people who want power. Known pockets of high contagion include capitals, municipalities, barangays and a particularly virulent "grazing ground" known as Sangguniang Kabataan?
Dr. Luce Kannon cautioned those who would champion familiar remedies of the past, such as the application of term limits, recall efforts, and a popular home remedy known colloquially as “voting the rascals out.”
“These efforts only treat the symptoms,” he said, whereas his National Plan of Action calls for an all-out War on Power-Hunger. The only way to fight this epidemic is to attack the root cause. Power-hunger disease can be conquered only through regular transfusions of libertarianism, followed by frequent booster shots of such antibodies as the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
We may not be able to cure politicking by these means, but we may be able to bring our national "politik" problem under control?!? Or, so it seems...
this posting's relevance is seen from the perspective of the up and coming october or november barangay and SK elections.. yes, power hunger. that's hubris, in latin. as early as the registrations for these elections are underway, there are already reports from the people of COMELEC about voters who are being transported from one barangay to the other, supposedly to have their residence in particular barangays, so as to translate their presence or residency into votes for this or that low-level politician or youth-candidate...
paano magkakaroon ng mga abagong lider kabataaan na makapagparticipate sa sa usaping pag-unlad pulitikal ng occ. mindoro.kung ito ay pininpigilan , hanggat nasa poder ng pulitika ng occ, mindoro ang dalawang bato ng pulitika(sato, villarosa)mahihirapang makapasok ang mga bgo ideya at bong lider pulitikal sa mindoro
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