House of Arroyos

SO RAISED the Philippine Daily Inquirer of that possibility in the next Congress with the probability of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo aiming for the second district seat of Pampanga rising by the day.
The current House has presidential sons Mikey of Pampanga and Dato of Camarines Sur, and in-laws Ignacio Arroyo of Negros Occidental and Ma. Lourdes Arroyo of some party list group.
So, what’s wrong there? So what else is new there?
In the current Senate, there are the Cayetano siblings – Pia and Allan Peter, inheriting their late father Rene’s seat.
There used to be mother-and-son Doctora Loi and Jinggoy Estrada. And a biyenan-manugang in the aged Lothario Ramon Revilla of anting-anting fame, and once-legendary cager Robert Jaworski.
Had Miguel Zubiri not been Comelected, father Nene Pimentel and son Koko would have made a formidable tandem.
Relatively hidden from public view are familial connections in the House because of the sheer number of occupants there. Still, we note of family extensions from the House to the local governments.
There is resigned Kampi honcho Rep. Luis Villafuerte and his son the Camarines Sur governor. Perennial House Speaker wannabe Pabling Garcia to daughter (or is it daughter-in-law) Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia, who was the object of a faux pas by then senatorial candidate actor Cesar Montano acknowledging her on the campaign stage as Gwen Garci, the the FHM hot babe.
And there is nothing novel to this stranglehold of political posts by families, from the Crisologos of Ilocos to the Duranos of Cebu, from the Dimaporos of Lanao to the Dys of Isabela, from the Espinozas of Masbate to the Antoninos of Cotabato, and nearer home, the Josons of Nueva Ecija.
In Pampanga, there was once Gov. Francisco G. Nepomuceno and Cong. Juanita L. Nepomuceno, morping to Gov. Juanita L. Nepomuceno and Angeles City Mayor Francisco G. Nepomuceno. The current city mayor, most necessarily be then, the couple’s son Blueboy. And the more political son, once-Vice Gov. Robin, concurrently too Barangay Cutcut chairman and ex-officio member of the city council as president of the Liga ng mga Barangay.
As to the other political dynasty in the province, Don Rafael Lazatin, alternately governor, city mayor and assemblyman, did not share political stage at the same time with son Tarzan, congressman, mayor, back to congressman.
Bren Z, Guiao was already out of the governorship when brother pat became Magalang mayor, and was already at peace with his God when son Yeng was elected first as board member then as vice governor.
Sen. Lito Lapid bequeathed the Pampanga Capitol to his son Mark only to be snatched away by the suspended Fr. Ed Panlilio.
Now three-term Lubao mayor Dennis Pineda took over his mother Lilia who was elected board member, but subsequently lost in her gubernatorial campaign.
The twin towns of Masantol and Macabebe are ruled by brothers Peter and Bobong Flores, respectively.
San Luis Mayor Jay Sagum married 4th District Rep. Anna York Puyat Bondoc and got himself absorbed by the Puyat-Bondoc clan that traces its political roots to the ‘50s yet.
At the local legislative branches, there is 2nd District Board Member Edna David and son, Porac councilor Dexter keeping alive the flames of the political Davids sparked by Porac Mayor Roy.
Unarguably, the Morales family holds sway in Mabalacat with forever Mayor Boking, sons Atlas as barangay captain of Dau, and Miggy as sangguniang kabataan federation chair.
Political dynasties are a given in Philippine history. So what’s all these gobbledygook of the Arroyos being one?
Nothing wrong in political dynasties per se. So long as they don’t make public service into family enterprise.