Abellanosa: Politics from US to the Vatican

THE postings and comments on Facebook have spoken loudly about what America means for many Filipinos. Some have even argued vigorously for or against their candidates even much more than how they'd do it in their own country's election. Even the so-called Catholic divide in the US also affected some local Filipino Catholics. I personally know of some conservative Catholic friends who prayed hard for Trump.

Some two weeks ago, I was asked by an anchor of a radio program why Filipinos are more concerned with US politics compared to other states (e.g. Canada or UK). I explained that there are two possible reasons. First is the geopolitical factor, that is, the place of US in the world. Whoever sits in the White House shapes alignments and agenda among counties. How the US will speak on the human rights situation of the Philippines will largely depend on the agenda of the new president. However this cannot fully explain the idolatrous fascination of ordinary Filipinos who followed the US elections without any academic or analytic accent. So the second reason must be that belief among some Filipinos that the Philippines still has some special spot in the heart of America.

Let's admit it there has remained among us brown-skinned an unconscious American dream. That many Filipinos still call anyone who is "white looking" as "Amerikano" or "Joe" (though they could be German or Dutch) speaks of America's Western representation in the eyes of the Pinoy. One friend told me, you may have travelled to many places abroad but if your passport does not have the stamp of the US Embassy there's something lacking. So there you go.

However, American politics is still politics. It may be juicier for media coverage but it does not represent the best of what politics is. American politics is not the benchmark of all political activities anywhere in the world. Years ago, Filipino social historian Reynaldo Ileto said something on this in an essay he wrote: Orientalism and the Study of Philippine Politics. I am not going to elaborate Ileto's essay however I can only emphasize what he warns us of. To say it in my own words: at first it may appear harmless to follow or even admire how Americans play their politics, however we must be cautious in not making them our standard to the point of criticizing local politics using the US as our analytic frame. Philippine politics must be studied and understood in its own terms. So enough with questions like, "why should we not have an electoral college here?"

From US politics I would like to end with another political issue. One that is quite marginal but has also captured the interest of a few weeks ago. It was not much a fuzz except perhaps for many within the Catholic circle in the Philippines. Jose Advincula, the Archbishop of Capiz was named by Pope Francis as a Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church. Rappler in its report mentioned something like Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma being "bypassed" by Pope Francis. Many reacted to the idea of Palma being bypassed. Truth to tell appointment to the College of Cardinals is subject to the Pope's prerogative.

There are those who said that Church matters should not be politicized. I completely agree. However, a word of reminder should perhaps go to some Church authorities first - who themselves are most fond of politicizing some internal ecclesiastical matters. Perhaps it is time for us not to give so much attention to all these honorific titles or even do away with them if they really do not mean anything essential to the Church's ministry. I remember many people making a big deal out of what they'd call Cardinal Tagle's "promotion" to the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples when it was nothing but a transfer of assignment.

The goal of politics in whatever part of the world ought to be human flourishing. It must translate to the common good which peoples from different walks of life should enjoy. Otherwise it does not serve its purpose no matter how interesting and intriguing. It is the people who should benefit most from politics, not the politician.