"In our age there is no such thing as 'keeping out of politics.' All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred and schizophrenia."
--George Orwell
By Alex P. Vidal
BASED on the recent election results in Iloilo City, three political clans have clinched major portfolios in the city government; and their sensational victories have given the Ilonggos the bird's eye view on which family will dominate Iloilo City's politics in the next 10 years.
They are: the Ganzons, the Treñases, and the Barondas.
The descendants of the late former Senator Rodolfo "Roding" Ganzon became the head turners since the wheels of fortune appear to be tilting on their side.
Aside from Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon (119, 123 votes), who cemented his hold in the city's second highest post with an overwhelming victory over Councilors Plaridel Nava (61,973 votes) and R Leonie Gerochi (22,774 votes), the late senator's grandson and the vice mayor's son, Rudolf, garnered 102,201 votes to land third in the 12-seat city council.
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Another Ganzon scion, Gerald, Rudolf's younger brother, is expected to join the bandwagon and run in the 2022 elections.
If Gerald wins, there will be three elected Ganzon formidable warm bodies to serve in the city government.
Treñas doesn't have children now actively participating in the city politics. He is currently being buttressed by his nephew, Councilor Jay, who collected 99,656 votes for fourth place.
The Ganzons' real threats for supremacy in the next 10 to 20 years come from the Baronda sisters: Congresswoman-elect Julienne "Jam-Jam" (115,148 votes) and No.1 reelected Councilor Love-Love (131,226 votes).
The first woman representative in Iloilo City, young and energetic at 40, can still run for another term and may become the next city mayor after graduating from the House of Representatives.
Love-Love, the No. 1 city councilor, can be a future candidate for vice mayor and higher.
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We foresee a fierce political rivalry between the Ganzons and the Barondas in the near future.
The feisty Gonzalez family was supposed to be the one dominating Iloilo City's political landscape, but after the death of former congressman and justice secretary Raul M. Gonzalez on September 7, 2014, nobody from the talent-laden family was able to duplicate the late old man's political genius and supremacy.
Gonzalez's son Raul Jr., daughter Dr. Gold, and wife Dr. Pacita, suffered heart-rending setbacks one after another in the local elections.
Dr. Pacita's latest defeat for city mayor to Treñas has virtually made their gallant stand to revive the patriarch's past political glory almost improbable.
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Former city councilor and National Youth Commission (NYC) executive director, Dr. Nielex "Lex" Tupas is currently "out of kulambo" after opting not to run against Baronda in the recent congressional elections, but their family is being carried by Dra. Candice, who landed fifth in the race for city council with 98,457 votes.
The Tupases, a maverick political clan in Iloilo Province, also would've been in a strong contention for political dominance in the city in the next 10 to 20 years like the Barondas and the Ganzons, but Dr. Lex Tupas chose to "preserve" his good relationship with the Barondas in exchange for what could have been another political conquest in the recent May 13, 2019 midterm polls.
(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)
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