Recommended Reading for Pundits

Former Rizal Congressman Gilberto "Bibit" Duavit has come out with a book - "WAYWARD POLITICS: Revolutions and Constitutions" - a firsthand account of the 1972 Constitutional Commission.

I didn't really thought of Congressman Duavit as a writer (he's known more as a single handicapper in golf) but I was really surprised on how well-written WAYWARD POLITICS is. His book is both funny and very informative - an easy read. And it is not preachy - Duavit recalls the ConCom with an amoral eye. I recommend it to all political scientists, pundits and students of history.

Ilonggo Politicians on “Wait-and-See” Mode

With elections less than a year away, Ilonggo politicians seem to be more preoccupied with Charter Change instead of preparing for their candidacies. At this time, the local politicians would already be “doing the rounds,” organizing caucuses and conducting an “inventory” of their supporters. But rumors of a no-election scenario and the prospect of term extensions have fostered a “wait-and-see” attitude and have made politicians hesitant to spend money this early. Most are keeping their cards close to their chests, quietly observing what will happen in the next few months.

So far, the only person I know who had openly announced his plans is former Bacolod City PNP Chief Vicente Ponteras, who recently stated to local media that he will be running for mayor of the City of Smiles. If elections do push thru in 2007, Bacolodnons will be in for an exciting rematch between incumbent Mayor Evelio Leonardia and former Mayor Joy Valdez, with Ponteras as a dark horse.

Although he is seldom seen in public today, former Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco is still a powerful force in Negros Occidental politics because his financial backing can make or break political careers. Despite Mr. Cojuangco’s “absence,” I am sure that he is never far from the minds of all Negrense politicians. But Mr. Cojuangco seems to be more interested in business nowadays than politics. In fact, he just recently launched his own personal brand of red wine (made from his vineyards in Australia) and is quietly promoting it to the Asian market.

In Iloilo province, former 1st District Representative and current Philippine Coconut Authority (Philcoa) chief Oscar Garin is being touted as a gubernatorial contender along with incumbent Vice Governor Roberto Armada. Fiery opposition Congressman Rolex Suplico, a third termer, has also indicated his intention to run against his uncle, incumbent Governor Niel Tupas, but many local observers dismiss it as merely a strategy to secure the 5th congressional seat for his brother, Army Colonel Enrique Suplico. In Iloilo City, rumors that Senate President Franklin Drilon (who is on his second and last term as senator) and former Senator Nikki Coseteng are running against incumbent Lone District Representative Raul Gonzalez, Jr. were finally laid to rest when it was reported that the two have not transferred their Comelec registration to Iloilo City after the May, 15, 2005 deadline had lapsed. This effectively disqualifies both of them from complying with the one-year minimum residency requirement for local candidates. Over at the 4th District, Congressman Ferj Biron may face a formidable opponent in the person of Marilou Arroyo, the sister of First Gentleman Mike and Congressman Iggy Arroyo.

In Aklan, several vice mayors are gearing up to replace several third-term mayors. Over in Antique, Liberal Party Governor Sally Zaldivar-Perez had chosen to remain with the administration, and in the process broke her long association with Senator Drilon and Liberal Party matriarch Judy Roxas. No. 1 Senator Mar Roxas, the “Great Ilonggo Hope” for the presidency, has maintained his firm grip on Capiz politics. With the “disappearance” of Capiceño Joc Joc Bolante (the former DA Undersecretary of “Fertilizer Scam” fame), no local politician has emerged strong enough to pose a serious challenge to Mar’s dominance in the province.

With the exception of Negros Occidental Governor Joseph Marañon’s group, local candidates who ran under the FPJ, Roco and Ping Lacson camps were soundly defeated during the last 2004 elections. Aside from Marañon, the only opposition figures with the financial wherewithal to seriously challenge the administration in Western Visayas are former GMA allies Drilon and Roxas. But while Mar has maintained his supremacy in Capiz, Senator Drilon’s grip on Iloilo politics is gradually slipping, what with DOJ Secretary Raul Gonzalez, Sr. always around to check him.

All in all, the political situation in Western Visayas has yet to sizzle as nearly all the politicians here are adopting a wait-and-see attitude

'Constitutional Monarchy' is the Best Form of Government

According to a study made by PLCPD (a Congress-based think-tank), the 'constitutional monarchy' form of government is the most successful type of government. PLCPD based their conclusions using economic performance, human development, world competitiveness and corruption perception index. (Read PLCPD report here)

So, following the logic of ConstiAm proponents, we should therefore adopt the constitutional monarchy type of government because empirical data shows that it is the most superior among all forms of government in the world. I don't see why we should settle for less -- sagarin na natin! What do you think?

Sunken Galleon Discovered Off Capiz Coast

Last May 6, a Capiceño scuba diver discovered an "ancient-looking vessel" off the coast of Sitio Tabai in Barangay Barra, Roxas City. Ronilo Lorenzo, a seasoned diver and local resident, accidentally spotted the ship while he was diving for seahorses. Roxas City Mayor Tony del Rosario immediately ordered the site secured and the sunken ship salvaged. Mayor Tony Del is quite excited over the possibility that the ship might be a Spanish Galleon. He intends to eventually display the ship at the Roxas City Museum where it can be viewed by the public.

It is, to my knowledge, the first time that a Spanish galleon was discovered in Western Visayas. While news reports about the sunken vessel are still murky, the discovery has sparked the interest of local historians and "Spanish treasure" aficionados. If subsequent investigation by experts should prove that the sunken ship is indeed a galleon, the discovery will create more questions. Since Capiz is not along the usual route of galleons traveling from Manila to Acapulco, what is it doing there?

From 1565 until 1815, galleons sailed once or twice a year from Manila to Acapulco, Mexico. The Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade started when Fray Andres de Urdaneta (who was Miguel Lopez de Legaspi’s pilot) discovered a return route from Cebu to Mexico in 1565. Fray Urdaneta theorized that the Pacific winds moved in a circular motion. He reasoned that if ships sailed far to the north before heading east, he would pick up the trade winds to bring him back west to Mexico. Urdaneta’s hunch paid off and his galleon hit the coast of Cape Mendocino in California. He then just followed the California coast going south to Acapulco.

Most of these galleons were built in the Philippines using Philippine hardwood and Filipino labor. A typical galleon usually weighed 1,700 to 2,000 tons, is 140 to 160 feet long, and can carry a thousand passengers. The Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade ended when Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821, after which the Spanish crown took direct control of the Philippines.

It is interesting to note that during this period (1565-1815), most of the so-called “Spaniards” in the Philippines were actually of Mexican descent. This is so because sea travel from Spain to the Philippines was very difficult before the advent of steam navigation and the opening of the Suez Canal.

Anyways, the discovery of the sunken galleon off the coast of Capiz is quite puzzling because it is not along the route of the galleons traveling from Manila to Mexico. The Spanish galleons usually set sail from the port of Manila and then make a brief stop-over in Taytay, Palawan before heading off to open sea. I visited Taytay, a sleepy town in northern Palawan, several years back and indeed there was a small but beautiful Spanish fort there. Locals there say that crewmen of Spanish galleons used to purchase last-minute provisions for their long four-month voyage across the Pacific Ocean to Mexico. Once in a while, it is said that local fishermen would find old coins and artifacts in the area surrounding the old Spanish fort.

Going back to the “Capiz galleon,” one is led to assume that it might have been blown off-course by a typhoon (which hits the Philippines regularly). It may also be that the sunken ship is not really a Spanish galleon but a Chinese junk or an ancient inter-island vessel. The Chinese have been known to trade with Ilonggos long before the Spaniards and there are some historical records showing that inter-island ships regularly plied the seas off Capiz. But whatever the result of subsequent investigations, the discovery of the ship augurs well for our region because we will know more about our history as a people.