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From the Philippine Star :
Dynasties rule in 14th Congress
By Delon Porcalla
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
The State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Arroyo during the joint session of Congress yesterday was a showcase of the Philippines’ political dynasties, starting with the country’s top political clan.
Almost all members of the President’s family – three of whom were elected congressmen – were there to listen. Her eldest son Juan Miguel (Mikey) was re-elected congressman of their home province, Pampanga; the youngest, Diosdado (Dato), represents Camarines Sur, while brother-in-law Ignacio (Iggy) Arroyo is now on his second term as Negros Occidental congressman.
The wife of Senate President Manuel Villar, Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia, was there for the SONA. So was the neophyte lawmaker-son of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Narciso III, who represents the party-list group Alliance of Rural Concerns.
The same holds true for Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, whose daughter-in-law Salvacion took the place of his son as representative of their district in Cagayan province.
Ditto for Sen. Edgardo Angara, whose son Juan Edgardo (Sonny) represents their home province of Aurora.
Sen. Rodolfo “Pong” Biazon also has a lawmaker-son, Rozzanno Rufino or Ruffy, who was elected congressman of the lone district of Muntinlupa, where he beat lawyer-anchor Ricardo “Dong” Puno Jr., a former executive of TV giant ABS-CBN.
Sen. Pia Cayetano was accompanied by her neophyte senator-brother Alan Peter, whose wife Laarni took his place as representative of Taguig-Pateros, which has now been split into two districts.
Neophyte Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero gamely posed for the cameras with his father, Salvador III (Sonny), who has returned as congressman of the first district of Sorsogon. The elder Escudero was the agriculture minister of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos.
And there was Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, whose brother Jose Ma. III took his place as representative of Bukidnon. Their father, Jose (Joe), a former congressman himself, is now governor in their home province.
Father and son, Pablo Sr. (Pabling) and Pablo John Jr. Garcia, are representing the second and third districts of Cebu, respectively. Another Garcia, Gwendolyn (Pabling’s daughter and Pablo Jr.’s sister) is the province’s governor.
Some former congressmen also attended yesterday’s election for speaker, among them Harry Angping, whose wife Zenaida replaced him. Rodolfo Albano (now ERC chief) was also around to visit his son, Rodolfo III (Rodito), who was elected Isabela congressman.
Former Davao del Sur congressman Douglas Cagas (now governor) was also there for his son Marc. Former Camiguin representative Jesus Jurdin Romualdo (now governor) was also present, along with his father Pedro, with whom he switched places.
Elenita Ermita-Buhain, daughter of Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, was re-elected as Batangas congresswoman. The son and namesake of Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas Sr., Niel Jr., is now among the 88 or so neophyte lawmakers in the 241-man House.
The son and namesake of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, a former deputy speaker, was re-elected as congressman of Iloilo City, their bailiwick. Former Bataan congressman Antonio Roman also attended the SONA, as his wife Herminia had replaced him.
Seventeen of the new congressmen, who previously occupied other positions (either as governor, vice governor, city mayor or town mayor) but this time ran and won under the administration party, were able to take back their congressional seats in the 14th Congress.
They are Antonio Kho of Masbate, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of Ilocos Norte, Al Francis Bicharra of Albay, Jose Yap of Tarlac, Pablo Garcia of Cebu, Carmencita Reyes of Marinduque, Orlando Fua Sr. of Siquijor, Pedro Romualdo of Camiguin and Eleandro Jesus Madrona of Romblon. All were former governors of their provinces.
Former three-term Manila Rep. Amado Bagatsing went back to his congressional district. Congressmen who served as city mayors are Neptali “Boyet” Gonzales II of Mandaluyong and Carmelo Lazatin of Pampanga. Lazatin served as the local chief executive of Angeles City.
Others include Didagen “Digs” Dilangalen of Maguindanao, Julio “Jules” Ledesma of Negros Occidental, Edelmiro Amante of Agusan del Norte and Magtanggol Gunigundo Jr. of Valenzuela.
Dilangalen was the feisty spokesman for ousted President Joseph Estrada, Ledesma is the husband of sexy actress Assunta de Rossi, Amante was a one-time executive secretary of former President Fidel Ramos, while Gunigundo is the son of former PCGG chairman Magtanggol Sr.
Dilangalen, who gained prominence in the 2004 canvassing of votes for the presidential and vice presidential race, ran but lost in his senatorial bid under the opposition ticket Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) of the late action movie icon Fernando Poe Jr.
Another spokesperson of Estrada, former immigration commissioner Rufus Rodriguez, won as congressman of Cagayan de Oro. He is a newcomer in Congress and is just on his first term as lawmaker.
