By Manny Piñol
This is the most entertaining part of elections in the Philippines, the time when politicians change colors like the chameleon and when they discard their favourite fruits for the multi-sided “balimbing.”
“Balimbing” is a tropical fruit also known as “Carambola” or Star Fruit and has symbolized political turn-coatism in the Philippines.
The flights to Davao City, known for its tropical fruits like Durian, Pomelo and Mangosteen, are full and hotels are bursting at the seams as political delegations from all over the country swoop down to pay homage to the next President of the Philippines, Rody Duterte.
“Balimbingan” or political turn-coastism is actually a reality in Philippine politics where the lines dividing political parties are defined by self-interests rather than advocacies and ideologies.
It came as no surprise, for example, that after the 2010 Presidential Elections, the Liberal Party (LP) which was a shell of its former self as almost all politicians were with the administration Lakas-CMD of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, suddenly gained muscle as political turn-coats abandoned their former parties to join the “admin.”
In fact, the LP’s Daang Matuwid mantra was trampled upon in the madding rush of traditional politicians, including the corrupt and the very corrupt, to join the party in power.
Now that Duterte is set to assume the Presidency, politicians are now starting to queue up to pay homage and pledge allegiance and support to the incoming President.
The PDP Laban, headed by Senator Koko Pimentel, will now surely be the favourite party of many politicians.
Watch how in the coming days, there would be mass oath takings of new PDP Laban members.
I will not be surprised if the PDP Laban will also be accommodating to these turn-coats because the party needs to consolidate its forces in Congress and the Senate in preparation for the government reforms which will have to be done through legislation.
There is also the greater challenge of a Constitutional Convention to amend the Charter to allow a shift from a Unitary President form of government to Federal Parliamentary.
The Charter Change may eventually result in a return to a two-party system where political turn-coatism will no longer be allowed.
The only comforting thought in this season of the “balimbings” is the fact that the new President is not one who will compromise his principles for anything.
The man is known to be unwavering in the things that he believes in, especially on issues of corruption.
Certainly, PDP Laban will take cue from the new President and the chances of corrupt politicians wiggling their way into the good graces of Duterte would be Zero to None.
Duterte, after all, is a fruit eater and he knows that “Balimbing” is sour, sometimes very, very sour.
(Photo of “balimbing” downloaded from wikipedia.)
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