Building the Anti-Trapo, Pro-Masa Movement (1)

IT'S STILL a full year before the May 2010 elections, and yet there has been a mushrooming of political movements gearing up for this event. There is the RV (register and vote) movement spearheaded by Senator Kiko Pangilinan, the Change Politics movement by ‘civil’ society leader Dinky Soliman, the Ateneo’s leadership fora, and just recently, the Silent Society movement by some spiritual groups in the country. A number of these groups are vehicles for the candidacy of selected aspirants, while a few dabble in some ‘worthy causes’ that should be advanced to have a meaningful election.

It is to the cause of a worthwhile and meaningful election that we from various cause-oriented and civil society groups have come together to plan the formation of a broad anti-trapo, pro-masa movement. We have decided to launch the movement on June 1 at the grounds of the University of the Philippines, and we will have as speakers some of the non-trapo candidates like Fr. Ed ‘Among Ed’ Panlilio, and the spokesperson of Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim.

For those interested in the building of this anti-trapo, pro-masa movement, I will devote three consecutive write-ups on the what, why and how of this movement. And I urge the readers to contact me and perhaps join us in the endeavor, especially on the UP launching on June 1.

Who are the trapos

The word trapos have come to represent the ‘traditional politicians’ who wield the proverbial three Gs in order to keep themselves in power (guns, goons and gold). In its narrow meaning, the trapos are composed of the political representatives of the Filipino elite or ruling class. They are those who are in government specifically to serve the interests of the ruling class and their own rent-seeking interests. They are parasites who thrive on the patronage of big landowners and big capitalists and on corruption in the government and in all its agencies.

The trapos also represent the political clans in the Philippines, and the political dynasty that their clans have established in specific areas of the country for a number of years. Some clans have even been holding political power for centuries.

According to the Citizens Anti-Dynasty Movement, cited by Fel Maragay at Manila Standard (May 14, 2007), at least 119 families have ruled the political scene over the decades, surviving every change in administration.

Among the prominent old political dynasties or clans in the country are the Ortegas of La Union, the Dys of Isabela, the Marcoses of Ilocos Norte, the Singsons of Ilocos Sur, the Josons of Nueva Ecija, the Romans of Bataan, Magsaysays of Zambales, the Cojuangcos and Aquinos of Tarlac, the Fuentebellas of Camarines Norte, the Dimaporos of Lanao del Sur, the Osmeñas of Cebu, the Espinosas of Masbate, the Rectos of Batangas, the Gordons of Zambales, the Plazas of Agusan, the Duranos of Danao City, the Antoninos of General Santos, and the Lobregats of Zamboanga City and Cerilleses of Zamboanga del Sur.

In recent years new dynasties have emerged like the Estradas of San Juan, Arroyos of Pampanga and Negros Occidental, Angaras of Aurora, the Defensors of Iloilo and Quezon City, the Suarezes of Quezon, the Villafuertes of Camarines Sur, Villarosas of Mindoro Occidental, Espinas of Biliran, Ampatuans of Mindanao, and Akbars of Basilan.”

In most cases the families who wield political power are also those which control the country’s economic resources (landholdings, haciendas, factories, businesses). There are families, however, who are part of the economic elite but do not join the political fray, like the Zobels and the Ayalas. They’re part of the oligarchy which has frontmen in the political scene, and which spends a lot of ‘protection money’ to safeguard their interests.

Trapolitos/trapolitas

There may be newly-emerging trapos (like the scions of the political clans, the trapolitos and the trapolitas) who have not been involved in any traditional political and corrupt activities, and who therefore resist the tag of belonging to the trapos. Although the tag may not seem to fit them yet as individuals, they are trapos in the sense of being members of the class/clans which rose to power to perpetrate elite rule in the country.

While the trapos are pictured to be as the most corrupt and warlord-like representatives of the elite, the word is really synonymous to the domination of the economy and politics by a few elite families in the country. Some of the elite may be benign and modernizing, but they are trapos nonetheless as they represent the dominant forces in a system that oppresses and marginalizes the broad masses.

The padrino system

The trapo system also refers to the padrino system, the patronage system, the personality-centered system, and the transactional system that politicians use to remain in power. Because the trapos do not really solve the country’s problems, and in fact represent the problem, the only way it can keep its hold on power is to perpetuate a system where favor is dispensed selectively to its wards and followers.

The trapos represent the elite system and come from the ranks of the elite forces. If they don’t come from the clan, then they must have given their services to any elite group to maintain their hold on power.

The growing disgust of the population against the trapos comes from the long pent-up anger of the masa against the dominant forces whom they correctly recognize as the perpetrators of their exploitation and oppression. It does not merely come from the revulsion of the masa against government bureaucrats, but from a gut reaction to the dominant class forces which monopolize the country’s resources and keep the majority in perpetual poverty. This aspect of the masa’s rejection of elite rule is the main point that we want to cultivate in building the anti-trapo movement.

It is clear as day that in the coming elections, the field is once more dominated by the trapo candidates. The old elite names have lined up to offer their services to the masa. The dynasties of the Villars, Roxases, Estradas, Escuderos, continue…

[Next, Who are the Masa?]