Pre-shaded Ballots

The iron grip of political dynasties has proven unyielded, with the Villafuertes yet again asserting their dominance in the 2025 midterm elections. In polls, however, people don’t get to shade shapes according to scrutiny. It is the system that rather shapes what we shade in the ballot according to the culture that blinds people.

The Villafuerte dynasty continuously extends its power across multiple political posts. Incumbent Camarines Sur 2nd Congressional Representative Lray Villafuerte, who graduated three-termer as governor in 2013, poised a comeback for the gubernatorial office with a decisive lead of 93,032 votes, leaving his contender, Bong Rodriguez—a political neophyte—far behind. With 162,284 votes, Lray’s dominance was most decided in the Rinconada District, where his overwhelming support impeded Rodriguez’s chance of victory.

But Lray is not the only Villafuerte to claim victory in this election. His son, outgoing Governor Luigi Villafuerte, only swapped seats with his father as the congressman of the Second District, while another son, Migz Villafuerte, was re-elected as the Fifth District Representative. On top of that, completing the family’s electoral sweep, the Bicol Saro party list secured one congressional seat, with Terry Ridon as the new first nominee, while Lray’s wife, Lara Maria Villafuerte, and their son, Julio Mari Villafuerte, were positioned as the party’s second and third nominees.

This year's results, once again, show the enduring advantage of types of machinery due to political dynasties in shaping outcomes. This is in spite of alternatives vying for the executive post with a credible track record, as in the 2022 duel between Luigi Villafuerte and late Ronald “Nonoy” Andaya, who was a former member of the lower house and cabinet member as budget and management secretary. With the previous polls resulting in solid Villafuerte triumphs, this further cascades the message of political dominance to those who seek genuine reforms in the province, translating their passion into disillusionment. And this may have forced them to withdraw investment; eventually, sulking out their hopes for evident change.

These head-to-head battles against promising contenders, but still coming off as the victors, make their wins more ironic, considering their conspicuously rudimentary campaign. Just like L-Ray’s absence during the recent Harampangan at Ateneo de Naga University.

The 9.68% margin may have shaken the dynasty, but it has not been enough to break it. What keeps the Villafuerte family steady, albeit quivers, is their ability to blow air so that debt of gratitude–in Filipino, utang na loob–continues to balloon in the senses of the constituency. Moreover, their grip is reinforced through networks of political alliances, where local officials, barangay leaders, and even influential figures owe their positions to the dynasty's endorsement. Their power remains in their clawing upon subordinates and other officials, reaffirming their superiority in the power hierarchy, and not to mention, in their ability to sow patronage in the services and projects they name after their clan. Election and governance in this case often seem like a mere transaction, where the powers-that-be amass increasing wealth and influence, often through mechanisms that reinforce their control and perceived heroism. Such dynastic structures are symptomatic of a broader capitalist framework that prioritizes the consolidation of power and resources among a few, thereby maintaining the status quo and hindering meaningful socio-economic reforms.

As for the broader systemic issue, voters are often swayed by the carefully crafted facade presented by politicians. While the situation is complex, it ultimately boils down to a harsh reality where people make choices based on immediate benefits such as personal favors, handouts, and lofty promises rather than long-term solutions. One of the most eagerly anticipated promises from the Villafuertes following their win is the Bicol Express Bullet Train project, which aims to connect Manila to Bicol, along with a Manila-to-Ilocos Bullet Train. This initiative is touted as a solution to Metro Manila's traffic congestion while boosting the economies of CALABARZON and Bicol.

This short-sightedness is not their fault, given the severity of poverty. According to the August 2024 publication of the Philippine Statistics Authority, the province's poverty rate stands at 22.4%. But this is more than just a number—it represents families living in inadequate homes, often left unrepaired after disasters; students forced to drop out due to unpaid school fees; and laborers—especially farmers and fisherfolk—receiving minimal support from the government. Worse, those who dare to voice their grievances are often met with oppression. The Villafuerte family has dominated Camarines Sur's politics for nearly a century, exemplifying both thin and fat political dynasties, where multiple family members hold office either sequentially or simultaneously. Such dynasties are linked to higher poverty rates and weaker democratic institutions, as they hinder competition and concentrate power.

These poverty incidences surface most clearly in dire straits of calamities, such as when Typhoon Kristine submerged multiple towns of Camarines Sur in massive flooding for days. It’s hard to imagine avoiding a similar situation where a pool of people cram in the torrents while a politician hands out band-aid solutions from his rescue boat—an all too familiar and unsurprising scenario which happens as public service only reaches the bare minimum. This is particularly concerning because with the incoming governor now entering the start of his second three-term bid, in his inviolable rule, there is continued erosion of democratic checks and balances, where misgovernance sees its roots.

Different branches, one root. One political gigantism dominates the land, orchestrating the flow of air so they can respire power. This holds true to many—only that Camarines Sur is a clear-cut illustration of how misgovernance breathes into life, a reality that persists when public office becomes an inheritance rather than a duty, and when service is overshadowed by the preservation of power.

The pinnacle of democracy happens in polls, when people embrace suffrage and shade ballots—an ink of hope for many, especially in a society seemingly stained indelibly with stagnation due to deep-rooted systemic issues. Optimism in the elections is not inherently wrong, but there is a hard-to-swallow pill that defeats the hope to finally recover from systemic misgovernance: Elections function as a well-oiled machine that primarily serves elites’ interests. Beneath the democratic process lies a far more complex and undemocratic reality—a rigged game set long before voters arrive. 

As the political dynasty enlarges, coupled with deception and disinformation, the election is built not on independent and informed decisions, but on manipulation and the setting in motion of campaign machinery. As a result, true victory in elections that equates to concrete change remains an illusion, offering only the appearance of choice, but the ballots are already pre-shaded.