Pampanga Reformist Politics: The Factors Which Led to the Victory of Father Eduardo Panlilio

Abstract

The victory of Father Eduardo Panlilio is a major benchmark in Philippine history with a Catholic priest defeating two strong traditional politicians in the governorship of Pampanga. The study is guided by the objective of being able to derive a direct relationship between Panlilio's victory and the nature of the Kapampangan political culture. The framework used in this study is that elections are imperfect instruments but are still significant means that the people choose their leaders according to their needs and views. Though elections are elitist in nature, favoring the rule of the rich and the influential, what is important in the end is a reform-oriented citizenry which are able to make real choices among real political alternatives. Throughout history, the Kapampangans are seen as advocates of change and reform against an oppressive and illegitimate status quo. During the May 2007 Election, the Kapampangans chose an alternative to traditional politics, with Panlilio winning the elections. Such time ripened the change: the Kapampangans had become skeptic of the then administration and the people believed that to move away from dirty politics is to revive the true identity of the Kapampangans. With the Panlilio government, the Kapampangans saw transparency and good governance. The study was able to identify that there is a direct link between the political culture of the Kapampangans and the victory of Panlilio as the governor. The Kapampangans sought change一 from a corrupt administration to a moral and transparent government. This phenomenon is a reinforcement of the reformism that is deeply embedded in their political culture.