Creeping Authoritarianism, InterElite Wars

Now, let's discuss what's happening to our country now.

As it stands, there are three contending forces in Philippine society and politics right now. All these forces have backing from veritable plutocrats who grew big in the post-authoritarian regime. Let me cite them now:

1. The Cojuangco Bloc

After his exile in the United States shortly after EDSA One, Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco was avoided by his friends like a plague. Yet, one persevered. His name--Ramon Ang. It was Ang's role in Cojuangco's life that put the former Marcos man back into the corporate limelight.

Ang is Cojuangco's right hand man. An intelligent and highly gifted visionary, Ang helped Cojuangco regained his San Miguel empire. It's an open secret how they managed to do it.

Cojuangco, according to friends, is a savvy businessman with a vicious gut. He plays by the rules yet dishes out decisions that are based on his gut feel. Almost always, he's right.

When the duo turned San Miguel Corporation into a regional beverage powerhouse, that turned Cojuangco's future from just a big man in the Philippines to the most powerful man in the entire region. Before Cojuangco went back as SMC chairman, the Philippine company was stripped of cash. A few years of pivoting the company from dangerous water made it one of the most powerful and the most influential Asian company nowadays.

Now awash with cash, San Miguel Corporation is now diversifying. It is now into energy, infrastructure, real estate, superhighways, mining and telecommunications. It will not be too far off to see it cornering all components of the Philippine state superstructure. Eventually, Danding will be the foremost kingmaker in this country even after Arroyo.

How did SMC do it? Their strategy is very simple--synthesize both the political and corporate world. Danding holds the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) like a fiefdom. He's the recognized power behind the throne. The NPC is just there to protect the interests of San Miguel Corporation from all contending powers. And that includes the Arroyo bloc.

2. The Arroyo Bloc

Rumours about this bloc are stuff of coffee shop talk. Yet, if you look at it, this bloc is the biggest syndicated operation ever to hit the Philippines. They control practically every government transaction, every department of government and even, some legitimate businesses. Now, they are trying to legitimize their setup by forming a huge off-shore investment firm. Based in Hongkong, this investment firm aims to attract foreign partners in their plan to buy Philippine lands. What this firm will do is just serve as conduit of foreign companies and earn from all sides. They will be the ones who'll represent these foreign firms in buying property and will also sell these properties to these foreigners using another dummy, a real estate firm owned reportedly by a close associate of the Arroyos.

Its a fact that this bloc is lapping up properties in Makati left and right. It is no secret that the new building along Ayala Avenue has been sold to this Chinese associate of Arroyo, who owns one of the 4-star hotels in Ortigas Center, Pasig City. There are plans, according to a source who's privy inside this bloc, to buy up more properties since the bloc anticipates the victory of lifting the economic provisions of the Constitution in 2009.

On my next entries...

3. The Ayala-Pangilinan Bloc

4. The Lopez etal bloc

My wife already called for me. We need to buy groceries.