First thrust

IF THE nation’s politics were a sort of a fencing match, the approval by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) as an official political coalition in the May 2013 national and local polls can be considered as the first thrust. That the thrust has not been parried or met with a counter-thrust means that it has been considered a legitimate political move.

Comelec had noted that UNA met all the requirements laid down by the Omnibus Election Code and the Comelec Rules of Procedure. “UNA possesses all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications under the law,” it said.

And so, we are now back to being a politics-driven country.

Close on the heels of Comelec’s admission of UNA into our political fold for 2013 comes the Bayan Muna party-list’s urgent motion asking the ombudsman “to immediately resolve their complaint against the former president (GMA)…for the non-bailable offense of plunder and graft over the alleged malversation of funds of the Philippine Chartity Sweepstakes Office.”

In any case, the UNA registration by the Comelec signals the return in the country of the political democracy which somehow remained in suspense after the 2010 elections when the matter of the electoral questions surrounding our nation’s politics became issues affecting both the House, where former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo won a seat, and later when the Corona impeachment issue took the nation’s political consciousness by storm.

The approval of UNA as a regular party indicates that the country is moving forth in the normal course of our political democracy. The expression of varied political interests to participate in the coming polls as typified by UNA is a show of hope, just like what the mayor of Valenzuela City “Win” Gatchalian showed when he visited Cebu City. I think he has senatorial plans.

It was reported that Gatchalian batted for youth education especially for those from the mountain barangays, and that his innovative approach had allowed Valenzuela high school students “to develop the first ever computerized campus poll in the country.”

Well, whatever are his plans, I think he would make a good material for UNA, like Gov. Gwen Garcia, who has already decided to cast her political fortunes with our newest political party.

UNA has registered its political aspirations as a determined political force not just for 2013. I think that, depending upon the performance of those who are seeking election to the Senate next year, (like Gwen or Gatchalian, should he decide to join it), UNA will be a political party to watch. It has made its initial thrust, let’s watch it.