“Some sectors are saying the anti-dynasty provision in the Constitution should be a self-executing one”
IS THE political landscape of the city of Parañaque about to change soon?
We’re talking about the city’s second district, where the incumbent congressman, Gus Tambunting, is being challenged by Bicol Saro party-list representative Brian Raymund Yamsuan in the May midterm polls.
Yamsuan is a long-time Parañaque resident as he has been residing for almost 25 years in Barangay BF Homes, which is part of Parañaque’s 2ndDistrict. Thus, he is aware of the grievances voiced by residents and the problems besetting the district.
Yamsuan became the Bicol Saro representative in Feb. 2024, and is considered a neophyte congressman. But he has long been serving in government in various capacities.
After college, Yamsuan began his career in the government service in 1996 by working at the office of the late Senate President Edgardo Angara as media and political affairs officer.
He later served as Malacañang’s media relations officer, and was chief of staff of then Press Secretary Dong Puno. He went on to become the chief of staff of the late Sen. Tessie Aquino-Oreta in 2001.
Yamsuan was appointed assistant secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government in 2006 under then Secretary Ronaldo Puno. In 2019, he became deputy secretary general of the House under then Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano.
To demonstrate to 2nd District residents the quality of service they can expect from him once elected, Yamsuan as party-list lawmaker facilitated the delivery of tens of millions of pesos of the national government’s social protection programs.
These include the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD), the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP).
These are on top of his own BAON (Bigay Ayuda at Oportunidad sa Nakababata) educational assistance project, medical missions, Extra Rice Program, food trucks, and distribution of school supplies.
But the most credible proof that Parañaque City’s 2nd district political landscape is likely to change soon is the result of the latest SWS voters’ preference survey for congressman in the district.
The survey from Nov. 8-14, 2024 showed a clear majority of registered voters—51 percent—prefer Yamsuan as their congressman in District 2 over Tambunting, who obtained 38 percent.
Lesser known candidates got single-digit ratings and only a small percentage of the voters were still undecided. In the previous September SWS survey, Tambunting had 44 percent while Yamsuan got 38 percent, with the rest still undecided on who to vote for at that time.
Many local leaders and political coordinators have jumped over to the Yamsuan camp or have expressed their desire to do so following the results of the Nov. 2024 survey.
Yamsuan and his lean-and-mean team composed of vice mayoral candidate Benjo Bernabe, and Tess de Asis and Binky Favis, who are both set to reclaim their seats in the city council, call themselves “Team Pagasa.”
Based on the survey results, many 2nd district voters believe this promise of hope isn’t all hype with Yamsuan at the helm. He has already provided them solid evidence the hope he would bring to the 2nd District would be matched with concrete action.
Yamsuan has the solid backing of several groups in the 2nd District who prodded him to run against Tambunting. These groups believe only a much more formidable opponent, someone like Yamsuan, can topple Tambunting.
Yamsuan is banking on the fact that local elections have proven to be unwieldy for certain political dynasties that have become too comfortable in their positions of power and privilege but have failed to deliver on their campaign promises.
The quality of service, or lack thereof, could make or break an elected local official.
Even powerful officials who believe in their staying power owing to their well-oiled political machineries and formidable war chests have met crushing and embarrassing defeats in recent elections.
While at this, we should bear in mind that the 1987 Constitution contains an explicit provision prohibiting political dynasties as anathema to equal access to opportunities to public service.
But the fundamental law left it to those legislators who are themselves members of political dynasties to vote themselves out of office.
That, of course, is not likely to happen. Some sectors are now even saying the anti-dynasty provision in the Constitution should be a self-executing one, without need for any congressional action.
What do you think?
(Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)
