10 of 20 ‘fattest dynasties’ lost ground in May polls

CEBU CITY -- Half of the country’s “fat” political families have been trimmed down in the recent midterm elections, but a “significant” percentage still remain in place, according to an analysis of Manila-based policy research center.

Prof. Reynaldo Mendoza, director of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Policy Center, said 10 of the 20 fattest dynasties in the Philippines had lost ground in the May 2013 elections.

“Fat dynasties are families whose members have already occupied multiple elective positions in government for a particular term. In this manner, a fat dynasty has already grown sideways spreading more members across several elective positions,” Mendoza told Visayas-based journalists at a training conducted by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism.

Notable political dynasties that have suffered losses include the Ampatuan family of Maguindano, Villafuertes of Camarines Sur, Gordons of Zambales, Villarosas of Occidental Mindoro, Fuas of Siquijor, Dazas of Northern Samar, Omars of Tawi-tawi, and Jalosjoses of Zamboanga Peninsula.

Mendoza said half of the top 20 dynasties in the country have become thinner, 35 percent of them remained unchanged.

However, 15 percent of the fat dynasties have become even fatter. These include the political clan of Trias of Oriental Mindoro, Ahajas of Tawi-tawi, Tans of Samar, and Espinas of Biliran.

“Thin” dynasties, on the other hand, are political clans that have virtually cornered an elective position, but have not expanded their influence to other positions.

But Mendoza said while it is important to note the political clans that have grown thinner, it is also important to look at who replaced these dynasties.

He cited the emergence of the Abayons and Ongs in Northern Samar and the Pacquiaos in Sarangani.

Meanwhile, political families that have proved their resiliency and ability to perpetuate in power were the Ecleos of Dinagat Islands; Romualdos of Camiguin; Cuas, Ylanans and Pagbilaos of Quirino; Loreto-Petilla-Caris of Leyte; and Lims of Marinduque.

“We should avoid lumping all dynasties together, and assuming that a local government unit that gets rid of a dynasty would automatically see improvements in governance and the local economy,” Mendoza said.

While data show that high poverty incidence increases the chance for dynasties to grow and become fatter, he said, one cannot automatically assume that the dynasties themselves are the cause of poverty.

“There is no evidence so far that more dynasties cause more poverty. Let us look too at who have replaced these dynasties, because they have not changed much,” Mendoza added.

He said the reason for the failure of former dynastic areas to improve immediately might be that the structures and systems are already in place to make it difficult for non-dynasty leaders to move the area forward. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)