Purely Politics: Addition, not subtraction

When I was in high school I heard an old, cunning politician in our province say that “politics is addition, not subtraction” in his effort to forge a unique coalition of opposing parties which is done only in our province- Isabela. Little did I know that it was a ploy to corner the lucrative election funds from every party. The saying came back to my mind as the Philippines gears this early for its midterm elections on May 2007. Names are being floated. Unity coalitions are being suggested by spinners. Reading the names on the opposition’s senatorial slate makes me quiver. It is a mix up of the Anti-Erap and Pro-Erap personalities in the events that led to Edsa Dos. I have admired most of these politicians as they have shown hope for a principled politics in the past. But I no longer have the same regard for them now. It makes me ponder that for most of our politicians, politics is personal survival rather than principled advocacy and public service. Those who seemed to be principled in the past now go down to the level of kissing the hands of a leader known to be a womanizer, gambler and accused of plunder just to obtain his endorsement which, sadly, is still being adhered to by constituents whom I hate to call "the uneducated voters". By doing so, those politicians trampled upon their own principles, if they have principles at all.

Philippine politics remains, predominantly, a politics of “addition, not subtraction” and it will remain as such if we unwittingly continue to support that system. Such is bad politics. It is a politics devoid of principles. We should shun this kind of politics if we want to see a better Philippines.