Republic of the Philippines

Misamis University

Ozamis City

EFFECTS OF POLITICAL DYNASTY TO THE GROWTH OF THE PEOPLE OF

SULTAN NAGA DIMAPORO

In partial fulfillment

to the course

PA 267 – Special Problem in Public Administration

Submitted to:

Dr. VIRGILIO H. ONGANIZA

Submitted by:

SAIDA B. DUMAGAY
 Introduction

Sultan Naga Dimaporo, formely known as Karomatan, is a 5th Class Municipality

in the province of Lanao del Norte in Mindanao. The municipality has a total land area of
230.99 square kilometers constituting 6.9% of Lanao del Norte’s total area. It is divided
into 37 baranggays, housing 56,724 population.1 According to the Bureau of Local
Government Finance, the annual regular revenue of Sultan Naga Dimaporo for the
fiscal year of 2016 was P105,786,713.46, slightly higher than Malabang, Lanao del Sur.

Founded in 1950’s, the municipality has since then, been a strong-hold of the
Dimaporo Clan in terms of political affiliation. In the recent 2019 Elections, Motalib and
Ulwan Dimaporo as mayor and vice-mayor respectively, won unopposed with more than
90% total vote turn-outs. 2

Political dynasties have been a long feature in the face of the Philippine politics
prompting then Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago to pass Senate Bill 2649 which
prohibits political dynasties from holding or running for elected local government
positions. Up to date, political dynasty not only stayed on trend but became one of the
reasons for economic monopoly and/or oligopoly.

In the present and previous generations, good governance plays an important

role in order for a society to have a progressive economy. Notable communities tend to
welcome competition as it could boost its economic status. In a free market, a
competition creates an array of opportunities as everyone makes sure that they surpass
what their competitors have produced, thus the quality becomes better and prices go
lower.

1
https://www.philatlas.com/mindanao/r10/lanao-del-norte/sultan-naga-dimaporo.html
2
https:/halalanresults.abs-cbn.com/local/Lanao-del-norte/sultan-naga-dimaporo--karomatan
 Analysis

My hometown, although a coastal area, seemingly to be isolated. Most of its

residents are low-income generating and while there’s a State University, education
seemed to be least of priority. The people fail to realize the problem and if some were
able to identify it, feared to fight the system. The educated ones move out from the
municipality and establish residences nearby or aspired for the urban living.

The market, on the other hand, is a controlled or regulated one. The supposed
government to introduce change or implement rules of betterment insists on its own
dominance. The authorities would rather protect their own interest than uplift the lives of
its people. A self-serving governance is worse than a corrupt one.

The monopoly in this side of the region is due to prevention and sometimes,
elimination of small-scale entrepreneurs from operating and thriving. Apparently, there
were small business establishments being ordered to cease from its operation and/or
are forced to close. As a result, there is lack of economic competition and lack of viable
substitute goods. Commodity price increases.

The people who thrived in the area relied on their government paying jobs and
opt to do marketing outside the municipality for more cost-effective spending. The poor
on the other hand relied on their own produce such as the farmers themselves.
 Conclusion

Due to the fear of residents because of the will of one person, one cannot
exercise freedom. With their ignorance from what is right and wrong, they fail to realize
idealism and made thriving extra hard. Thus, it makes one person powerful enough to
control the economic status of such society leading to outright monopoly if not oligarchy.
Such behavior from the authorities themselves is an abuse not only to the poor sectors
of the community but even to the mid income earners.

The economy of our place is stagnant if not even deteriorating. We cannot

compete with the neighboring municipalities and cities due to the aristocracies which
apparently became the culture in the place.
 Recommendation

In the spirit of democracy and in principle of parens patriae, the National

Government through passage of laws needed to prohibit political dynasties and enable
Art. II, Sec. 26 of the 198 Constitution wherein: The State shall guarantee equal access
to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by
law. The State should assume its role and protect the interest of the people in general
and eliminate such aristrocracies even in the most remote areas.

Statutes and administrative regulations expressly prohobit the appointment by

certain public officials of relatives either by affinity or by consanguinity within certain
degrees, or nepotism. This prohibition seeks to prevent concentration of powers among
relatives as well as to avoid conflicts of interest at the expense of public welfare. 3

On the other hand, nothing beats people’s initiative. One’s empowerment

encompasses hardships. It would be better people in our place decides to stand up for
what is right. They needed education. They needed knowledge. They needed reminder
of what good governance can do. We need more selfless people in the government.
After all, greed of one man could be a reason of the downfall thousand more.

3
Opinion: How To End Political Dynaties, Benjamin G. Maynigo