Duterte vs Duterte

Rodney Artida

The picture is getting clearer as 2019 midterm election looms; it is going to be a battle between two Dutertes.
The mere fact that most of the political parties and organizations are aligned and leaned towards the President, it is undeniably going to be an election centered around Duterte himself.

PDP Laban, the President’s party is fielding its candidates led by Senator Koko Pimentel while presidential daughter Sara Duterte is having her own senatorial line-up through her party Hugpong ng Pagbabago. This going to be a chess battle between the President and her daughter Sara Duterte as local politicians are racing to have the endorsements of either or both. In fact, most of the rivals in local polls are allied or member of PDP Laban and HNP.
It’s a rare election for Filipinos since this the only poll were there are two senatorial ticket allied to the administration while there is no virtual or solid base for opposition candidates. Liberal Party is only fielding 8 candidates in coined as ‘Otso Diretso’ while the Makabayan Bloc is supporting Bayan Muna chairman Neri Colmenares and other 8 candidates.
With this current political condition, its suffice to say that having a multi-party system will not guarantee us a diverse and healthy democracy. The politics we have is still shallow and personality based rather than catering to issue and ideology. Senators are voted not because of their platforms and advocacies but rather their surname and endorsements received.
With every election year, either a new party or alliance will form. Political clans then fly like a butterfly, jumping from one party to another. It is saddening to know that we haven’t learned a lot three decades after overthrowing a dictator.