Every spouse knows that mutual support is a huge factor in any successful marriage. And I’m not just talking about financial support — I’m talking about emotional, mental, professional and even spiritual support, in whatever context you want to put it.
But when a husband loses his chance — again — to fulfill a long-standing ambition to become an elected government official, how should we interpret the wife’s decision to seek public office in his stead?
Lucy Torres-Gomez formally filed on Wednesday her Certificate of Candidacy (COC) for the congressional seat of Leyte’s Fourth District… after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc junked the petition of her husband Richard Gomez… after the Comelec found that he had failed to establish Ormoc City as his permanent residence. [ABS-CBN News]
The implications are many:
1. Winning the congressional seat is a family matter; it’s irrelevant who gets elected so long as he or she is a member of the family. The curious thing is that this doesn’t fall under the context of political dynasties. Richard Gomez doesn’t seem to seek the creation of a dynasty. What is obvious is his attempt to capture a higher level of credibility by becoming part of a political elite. He is seeking what, to him, is a higher social status — a kind of old school respectability that success in the entertainment industry could never give him.
2. Lucy Torres will be running as a mere alter ego of Richard Gomez. Ergo, if she wins, she will work and act in accordance with his directions. And this, she doesn’t even have the wit to deny.
… she stressed, that if she wins, it’s “vote one, take two kay ako lang ang molingkod pero ang tinuod nga moserbisyo si Richard Gomez (you will elect me as your congresswoman but Richard will do the work as) my Chief of Staff.” [PDI]
Isn’t that a mockery of the electoral process and the system of representative democracy?
3. Women — wives, especially — exist as a supporting cast to their men. Is there any other way of putting it? Lucy is running so that Richard can fulfill his ambition albeit vicariously. She seeks a Congressional seat so that Richard can wield political power with her blessing. She admitted as much in the PDI article quoted above.
I know women who will interpret Lucy’s decision to run (is it really her decision when Richard had been announcing it long before she herself announced that she has decided to run?) as an illustration of a supportive wife. Personally, I find it more than a little off.
Isn’t that a mockery of the electoral process and the system of representative democracy?
Lucy is running so that Richard can fulfill his ambition albeit vicariously. She seeks a Congressional seat so that Richard can wield political power with her blessing. She admitted as much in the PDI article quoted above. – Ms. Connie Veneracion
Ms. Connie, this is an interesting insight into the kind of politics that we have in this country.
Saan na napunta ang delicadeza ni Lucy??? Hindi rin ako agree sa ginawa niya. Tsk tsk.
well election sure brings out the worst & best in us … in this case let’s not state the obvious
Please correct me if I’m mistaken here: if Richard is disqualified, then there isn’t any legal position that he is leaving and which Lucy can fill.
Di ba in Philosophy, not P, then not Q! So, why is Lucy “taking over?” For what position? Nada! This is so unlike the elective position left by the former Batangas governor Sanchez who died,and whose wife will now take over in his gubernatorial bid again.
From the Omnibus Election Code: “Sec. 77. Candidates in case of death, disqualification or withdrawal of another. – If after the last day for the filing of certificates of candidacy, an official candidate of a registered or accredited political party dies, withdraws or is disqualified for any cause, only a person belonging to, and certified by, the same political party may file a certificate of candidacy to replace the candidate who died, withdrew or was disqualified…”
Question is, since it’s the LP’s call to name a substitute, why does it look like it is only Richard Gomez who has a say in who the substitute should be. And that’s where the parallelism with the Batangas case becomes obvious. PARTIES DON’T CHOOSE CANDIDATES BASED ON WHO’S QUALIFIED BUT, RATHER, BASED ON WHO HAS THE POPULAR NAME.
Oh thanks for the enlightening answer, Connie. Your being a lawyer comes in as a good way for us to see things in the bigger perspective, or better yet to put things in the right context.
This demonstrates for us one of the major problems in Philippine politics- that being too attached to the person who is popular. How else do we explain Aiko Melendez running for Vice Mayor in QC? Or even Manny Pacquiao for Representative in Sarrangani? Or even Vilma Santos herself, running as Governor in Batangas. There are countless evidences for this. Because these politicians know that for the ordinary voter to choose someone who is not popular, the voter would still have to exert some effort to know the candidate ( for which he barely has time). The popular candidate or the candidate with the popular name is a candidate of convenience.
In fact, how else do we explain why Bong Revilla and Jinggoy Estrada are allegedly front runners in the senatorial race?
You hit the nail on the head, Connie!
I felt disappointed with Lucy actually. It’s obvious that she didn’t think for herself. Richard on the other hand didn’t mind having Lucy take on the criticisms that people will give to her after deciding to run just because he got disqualified! Wives should know better than this and not just follow their husband’s whims!
Tacky, tacky, tacky!
tumaas kilay ko sa ganung balita!
guapo si richard, maganda si lucy.
Dun pwede sila.
Can’t they look after each other instead?
PARTIES DON’T CHOOSE CANDIDATES BASED ON WHO’S QUALIFIED BUT, RATHER, BASED ON WHO HAS THE POPULAR NAME. – Ms. Connie Veneracion That’s one of many reasons why I’m inclined to think that we’re a stupid people.
I actually feel some pity for Lucy, from what I saw in the news, it seemed that she wasn’t all that happy to be substituting for Richard even though she’s her husband.
And worse, if she does get elected, she will be a puppet to Richard’s whims and political desires.
“… even though she’s her husband.”
Isn’t this supposed to be “even though she’s his wife?” Just some correction needed there
un nga din naisip ko…. Baka naman parang sunud-sunuran nalang sya sa asawa niya?
This is ridiculous. Sana matalo siya/sila. Hehe.
Well as an Ormocanon, I hope Lucy is doing it for Ormoc and the people of Leyte and not because her husband is forcing her to run. As for qualification, has anybody checked what the qualification of her opponent is? No political experience that I know of and what’s worse his father is the congressman (who he will try to replace) and his brother is the mayor, yup – dynasty.
I am normally against showbiz personalities running for office but when I hear of stories of classmates who are business owners in my hometown allegedly being harassed by the family of those in political power (e.g. don’t sell that brand of beer because they refused to sponsor a sibling’s project) whatever it takes to bring about change besides the Torres family despite their wealth are well-known for their kindness, respected and loved by their workers.
Corruption in our city has gotten so bad that for the first time a third (independent) party is running made up of only counselors. This way, it is said, the city will have a watchdog for whichever party wins the mayoralty seat. From mock polls these counselors are leading by a wide margin.
And this is the reason Lucy just might win too.
That scenario is true in almost every town, Geri. Still, I don’t think that an unprepared public servant is the answer. She will be eaten alive. And in a situation where she has already “allowed” her very ambitious husband to run the show, I shudder.
when i read the title,i thought you and Sir Speedy were having relationship problems…
I agree though, this is just OA. It’s as if I can see the future of the Philippines- everybody won’t want to study/graduate because they can just run for office (and earn more).
My greatest wish is to have someone pass a bill that limits those running for office to those who have at least a PHD or masters degree..
I’d include a certification of having passed a sanity test too hehehe
Actually for some reason, it’s not Lucy whose getting on my nerves.. but actually Richard. Haha!
I never liked him, actually. Even when he was at the height of his career and very much in everyone’s face. He’s always struck me as someone with a hidden agenda.
i would agree with you on this, ms connie. remember when he ran for senator a few years ago? winnie monsod grilled him about his platform and programs. he replied that he wanted a decent dental program for Pinoys. that had my good ol’ prof laughing quite hysterically. hahaha!!!
good intentions aside, that answer really reflected what he was made of. i’m sorry but i really think he’s an idiot and lucy should have known better and talked him out of running in the first place.
The whole Lucy-as-candidate seems so “eleventh hour” to me…I mean, she just popped into the picture, like a mushroom after a cloud burst.
Richard trying to foist Lucy on the electorate is a classic example of the wrong way to apply the “try and try until you die” mindset. Geez, just bow to the decision of the court and try again next election, why don’t you.
Thanks for the enlightening explanations in your blog post/comment thread.
Re “just bow to the decision of the court and try again next election, why don’t you.”
LOL that’s sound advice to any losing candidate. Bow to the voters’ decision and stop whining that you’ve been cheated.
I can already imagine what Richard Gomez will say if Lucy loses.
“I can already imagine what Richard Gomez will say if Lucy loses.”
Is the pun intended here?.”..Lucy loses…”
And you’ve seen that on your bolang kristal?
“Bow to the voters’ decision and stop whining that you’ve been cheated.”
i would agree. these candidates should humble themselves since they are the one seeking for our votes. i’d like to take for example this candidate who said that the only reason he will lose is if there is failure of the automated elections and if cheated. he hasn’t won yet but he shows this kind of attitude and arrogance. paano na lng kaya if manalo siya. they are just showing how greedy they are for POWER and MONEY.
Hahaha no pun intended. And I said “if” Lucy loses, not “when” Lucy loses.
richard ran for senator and congressman before (if i remember correctly), and he lost both times. on his third try to run again, he was disqualified, so he made lucy run in his place. first, i wonder what’s in politics that makes him persist so badly even though his odds of winning were never really good. second, i was really surprised and even disturbed that lucy agreed to take over as his replacement. i don’t know her personally, but as a long-time fan, i can see that she’s a great homemaker, wife, mother, and certainly NOT a politician! lucy is a very private citizen who enjoys simple things like cooking, crafts, art… you get my drift. does she even know what she is getting into? she has a very quiet, trusting, and childlike disposition. she’ll be eaten alive in the political arena! they say wives are supposed to be submissive to their husbands, but i don’t think that includes meekly allowing oneself to be coerced or forced into doing something totally against your will or personality. lucy seems to be TOO submissive in this case… i wonder if richard is really committed to improving the conditions of ormoc in the first place, or if he just decided on it since he has little chances of winning in metro manila.
AMEN. I always read Lucy’s weekly column in Star and she struck me as someone who’s really simple (likes simple things).
The people of Ormoc have spoken– and they like LUCY!
Congratulations. It will now be an entirely different world for Lucy.
My greatest wish is to have someone pass a bill that limits those running for office to those who have at least a PHD or masters degree.. – CuriousGirl
How about if they just pass a bill that would abolish the “pork barrel” and allow only certified tax payers to cast their votes?
Tanong:
Marami pa kayang magka-interes tumakbo’ng kandidato sa congreso?
Meron pa kayang kandidatong magbanggit maski isang beses man lang ng kapakanan ng mahihirap?
I don’t think so.
I’m sure they’d start saying some Bulls–t, like, they have always been conscientious taxpayers and that if elected, they promise to pass this bill, or that bill that would favor the tax payer. Or say to the effect that they have only the ordinary taxpayers’ best interests in mind all the time.
Now, palitan mo ng “mahihirap” yung “taxpayers” and that’s exactly the kind of bull—t that we keep hearing from many of these candidates today.
Di ba halos lahat sila para sa mahihirap?
I think it’s a no-brainer. If public office weren’t so damned financially lucrative (pork barrels PLUS opportunities i.e., granting contracts to relatives friends or even to a politician’s own corporation hidden under layers corporate ownerships), no one would really be interested. Because if it’s just a genuine desire to serve the public, there’s really no need to get elected. AT ALL.
“Because if it’s just a genuine desire to serve the public, there’s really no need to get elected. AT ALL.”
-My thoughts, exactly! And we go back again to Manny Pacquiao–he really didn’t need to be Congressman in order to help the mahihirap…
Naku, don’t get me started on Pacquiao or I’ll embark on a very colorful language hahahaha
Ok, ok… I won’t…
I’m not in the country at the moment and was never one to keep abrest with politics. Am very disappointed with this news. Yes, Lucy strikes me as a very private person, a kind one too. I think Richard is just too ambitious to even think of his wife. Selfish if I may say. Of course I know none of us is in a position to “pass judgment”, just expressing real disappointment is all.
I trust though that her deep faith in God would lead her to seek His will. My prayer is for the will of God to come to fruition…that is if she loses its a closed book…but if she wins, God probably wanted her there not really to give Richard a chance at politics, but to serve her people as LUCY. I hope she realizes that.
Remember when Erap designated him Presidential Adviser on Sports Development and he wanted to constantly “meet” with sports officials?
Remember when he tried to be a Congressman via a backdoor called MAD?
Remember when he had a TV show where he played a lawyer and started talking like one even on chismis shows?
Now he finally gets his dream and will be able to strut around the halls of Congress in his “amerkana”.
Courtesy of The Stepford Wife.
Eeep.
The Stepford Wife — that is so picturesque.
Just another case of a woman being careful what she should wish for, she might just get it. Di ba Lucy always admits that marrying Richard was a dream come true? Ironically, he has no movie projects, so now Lucy is the one bringing in the money, then, she is willing to be a puppet of that man. Looks like someone is paying dearly for marrying someone she idolizes, but she’s doing it all with a smile. sheesh.
She won!