UNA: the result of Binay-Estrada alliance
Election year 2013 is still too far out and 2016 is even farther, yet as early as now what is hugging the limelight in all types of media are about politicians, in both local and national levels, mouthing their political plans, making political tie-ups and seeking political blessings.
Forget that the country has a serious diplomatic row with China at the Western Philippine Seas over the sovereignty of the Scarborough Shoal and the country is threatened by the number of armed Chinese vessels deployed to the area of conflict where we feel we are the legal claimant.
That issue could wait. It can take a back seat while politicians are busy participating in political calisthenics. They don’t want to miss the opportunity, therefore, timing it right and seizing the moment is all that matters for any crafty politician.
The opportunity is nothing but political expediency.
Political expediency is a move that makes it politically advantageous for a politician or a party for that matter, rather than for what is right or just. It is a self-serving political action.
Lao Tzu, the father of Taoism, put it in a better perspective by describing it this way: When virtue is lost, benevolence appears, when benevolence is lost right conduct appears, when right conduct is lost, expedience appears. Expediency is the mere shadow of right and truth; it is the beginning of disorder.
The most publicized political alliance in the country today is that of Vice President Jejomar Binay’s Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) and former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada’s Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP).
The new party name given to this coalition is United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).
Whether the UNA will evolve into a political party that will represent the opposition against President Benigno Aquino’s Liberal Party or not will mainly depend on how solid or shaky their personal partnership is in running the government.
Many political pundits have expressed their opinion that the two political leaders will inevitably have parting of ways.
Having different political platforms will only hasten their parting, no doubt about it.
It is the alliance of to these two well known populist leaders that is so enticing to the new aspiring politicians and to some ‘comebacking’ politicians, who wants to ride on the popularity of Estrada and Binay.
Not only that.
UNA, being the grand opposition party in the offing, is poised to go into union with other political parties, like those of Danding Cojuangco’s Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), Sen. MannyVillar’s Nacionalista Party (NP), and Sen. Edgardo Angara’s Laban ngDemokratikong Pilipino (LDP).
Again, what else but for political and party expediency.
It is also a looming formidable party especially for the 2016 presidential election when Binay, who mince no words of his desire to become president, will run.
What they are careful about is to avoid being construed that UNA has also forged alliances with former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s party, the Lakas-Kampi-CMD. It will only doom their fate.
What is interesting, however, is that former Arroyo loyalists have already joined the bandwagon of UNA and are already given prospective slots for the senatorial race in 2013. We are talking here of Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri and Rep. Mitos Magsaysay, a well known GMA apologist.
We have political opportunists and we have political opportunists.
Recycled politicians and political opportunists, to name a few, like Ernesto Maceda, Francisco Tatad, Richard Gordon, Jamby Madrigal should no longer be shown that window of opportunity. They had been there before.
Let us stop being fooled by political opportunists.
Please.
