Back to the LP

The victory of Rep. Alejandro Y. Mirasol to succeed the recently diseased Rep. Ignacio Arroyo brings back to Binalbagan the Liberal Party that was disseminated by the victory of the Nacionalista Party candidate Ramon of Magsaysay in 1953, defeating the Liberal Party President Elpidio Quirino.

In a way, history is recycling itself. Mirasol is with Liberal Party while Dino Yulo is with the Nacionalista. Both parties, rivals since after World War II, are resurgent after years of being in the backburner. They were relegated almost into oblivion when President Ferdinand Marcos, a Liberal who jumped into the Nacionalista Party swept the election as NP candidate in 1965.

When Marcos consolidated all political parties under his Kilusang Bagong Lipunan, the politicians gravitated to this monolith and literally buried the NP and the LP. Succeeding presidents formed their own political party monopoly until the revival of the LP and the NP in the last national 2010 election.

After World War II there were only two dominant political parties, the NP and the LP. During the election of 1949, the congressman of the then 3rd District which comprised the towns from Pontevedra to Hinobaan, was Liberal Party Augurio Marañon Abeto, uncle of the incumbent Governor Alfredo Jr. and of the new Congressman Alejandro Mirasol. Abeto was also mayor of Binalbagan when elected to Congress.

One of the major causes of the LP defeat in 1953 was the murder of Moises Padilla, NP mayoralty candidate of the newly created town of Magallon, ironically created by Abeto. LP Gov. Rafael Lacson was charged and convicted to life in prison. Magsaysay used this murder to defeat Quirino and obliterate the LP.

Since then Binalbagan had not had a congressman. The party practically disappeared during Martial law with the death of Ninoy Aquino. Jr. and the LP President Gerry Roxas, father of Secretary Mar Roxas.

The congressmen in the now 5th District shifted from Binalbagan to Himamaylan with the Gatuslaos, then Hinigaran with the Yulos, one time to La Castellana with Felix Feria, Apolinario Lozada of Magallon and then Arroyo of Isabela. The cycle is now completed with the LP’s return to Binalbagan

Rep. Mirasol thus retrieved the flame and has now the duty to ensure that the fire keeps on burning for Binalbagan to regain its political dominance, not just the leadership of its congressman but also of his party.

The new congressman thus carries an obligation bigger than his duty in the House of Representative. He is now the highest ranking LP in the 5th district and must nurture the party, granting that the President will not consolidate all other political groups under an umbrella where he reigns.

The huge margin of Mirasol over Dino Yulo is a remarkable feat. It shows that Binalbagan which had always backed him up remains steadfast behind him. This margin is also a message of his strength and will be a disincentive to any challenger in 2013.

If Mirasol proves worthy of the trust of his townmates beyond the Municipal Building into the Halls of Congress, he shall have entrenched himself politically and will discourage opposition. He slips or is perceived to be unable to carry the greater burden of national legislation, he will be perceived as open for challenge.

There are ambitious groups within in the district. It is possible that Dino Yulo will lick his wounds during the next several months and stage a return bout.

However, while Himamaylan gave Dino a sizeable number of votes, the election of 2013 will be different. The Bascons will also be campaigning for their own reelection and saving their own turf or field their own candidate and therefore cannot fully focus on Dino.

Similarly, Mirasol will campaign mainly alone. This election favored him because Governor Marañon staked his leadership for him and the mayors who supported him naturally threw their hats into Mirasol’s ring.

This situation can change in 2013 because each candidate will have to focus on his own campaign and thus cannot give Mirasol the same focus that they gave during this election.

The election was a test of the political leadership of Gov. Marañon. He proves to be in control. The secession of Himamaylan City Mayor Tinto Bascon, however, showed that UNA needs to be thought out again because it appears that it is good only to serve a personal vested interest rather than the unity of the political forces in the coalition.

In October, the candidates will file their certificates. How the results and the power plays in the 5th district election will impact on UNA, is something interesting to find out.

For Rep. Mirasol however, Binalbagan will expect more than what he had offered especially if he plans for his wife, Mary Ann to succeed him, as expected and desired by many.*

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