The Failure of Democratic Representation in the Philippines

Once again, the failure of representation in the Philippines had manifested itself from the malaise called democracy. A government of the people, for the people and by the people is the preeminence of democratic principle that has remained elusive and beyond reach since the birth of the Philippine Republic.  Almost always, and not only in the Philippines, the poignant reality is that this cherished democratic principle had always veered away towards a subtle form of socialism due perhaps to its incompatibility with the domineering and pervasive culture that is inherent in a capitalist society. The democratic principle that is well esteemed had stagnated   into a mere theory of idealism that seems to approximate the qualities of a myth. In practice, it is actually a government… of some of the people…for some of the people…and by some of the people. When democracy promotes equality in freedom, what resulted is equality in misery. As democracy prided itself to be the champion of social justice, what is exuded is redistribution. Seemingly, democracy is just an imaginary line that likewise projects an imaginary sense of freedom and social justice. Its incompatibility with human nature is a persistent glare that startled the eyes. What adherence is there  to that  democratic principle that democracy is the government of the people, when the electoral  system is spewing the same names and faces of politicians over the electorates lifetime and his children’s lifetime; when the system declares a potential candidate to be a nuisance because he do not have the financial capability to launch a nationwide campaign; when that same financial capability are given by large corporations, business tycoons and foreign entities to the candidates belonging  to the circle of elites and traditional politicians, in lieu  of garnering a payback to farther their goals. It’s a patronage democracy that solicit favor for favor, and that cannot be truly of the people. How can it be?

How can democracy be by the people when almost all of the so called democratic institutions were melted by corruption to dysfunction, inefficiency, mediocrity, and total collapse in relation to its rationale?

How can democracy be for the people when social injustice is the norm, while true justice is reserved for the celebrity, the privileged and moneyed? When equal opportunity is merely a theory, and even more baffling among the strangest of words. The Filipinos has been very patient, but the demagogue and demagoguery had inflicted so much hardships to the point of saturation. The glass is filled but empty and the seed of rebellion had ripened and now, they are unreluctant to trade democracy for anything. Any thing but democracy. They want to experiment, and have prepared themselves to venture into the extreme, into a retreat towards the left most corner of the political spectrum. Yes they have become desperate and totally aghast, of that idealism called democracy and all that it stood for. They are hungry and have become recklessly unmindful of the consequences that an abrupt radical change may put to bear; their frustrations had dusted off the old wariness and fear; they are heading toward Socialism, not realizing, that they are plunging themselves into another failed experiment... to a proven failure and absolute abyss.


On May 9,2016 Philippine presidential election/.