In our rural town north of Manila, the former long-time mayor is out to recapture the municipio. Due to term limits, he was denied his dream to be eternal mayor. In the last election, the son became mayor. This year, the father is running again — unopposed.

For vice mayor and councilor, they have been mostly the same names for many years now.

For representative, it had been the husband for a long time, and then the wife for yet another long time. Now, the son runs for Congress

For governor, vice governor, and board members, they have been doing a rigodon among themselves for years now. The governor slid to vice governor, the vice governor ran for governor, a former "bokal" is vice governor.

This is a familiar situation to many across the country.

Indeed, what real choices do we have? How to vote freely and wisely, if these are the only choices presented to us?

Places like Pasig where voters have clear, stark choices are few and far between. They are actually exceptions in a country ruled by a few.

In the race for senator, it is a choice between two warring factions of the same ruling class, including siblings. They are now fighting fiercely for the backing of local races and pressure groups such as religious cults to ease out one another for the scarce Senate seats.

The so-called independent opposition fielded only two candidates. By word and deed, they are not openly rocking the two dominant slates, perhaps hoping that could create a space for them to thrive. As of today, such strategy appears to be not enough to guarantee their victory.

The dynasties and traditional politicians have taken over the partylist system. The rosters of their partylist nominees include high government officials, former generals, term-limited lawmakers from dynasties, and practically entire families. A major political party has openly fielded a partylist. Their immense wealth and resources are in display though expensive TV and radio ads. Worse, their capacity for command votes may bring the minimum winning threshold to levels that may not be reachable for partylists coming from the truly marginalized and underrepresented.

It is regrettable that Bayan Muna was not able lead the charge to expose, charge, and disqualify the fakes despoiling the partylist system. They have done it before against MAD, and earned respect for standing up for this constitutional innovation that seeks to bring the underrepresented and marginalized to Congress.

Bayan Muna has to fight for its dear life this 2025, after losing in 2022 due to disinformation and red-tagging.

Please join me in voting for Bayan Muna #59. It is the partylist that brought to Congress the likes of Satur Ocampo, Crispin Beltran, Liza Maza, Teddy Casino, Joel Virador, Siegfred Deduro, Eugenia Cullamat, Carlos Zarate, Ferdinand Gaite and Neri Colmenares.

In Congress, Bayan Muna lawmakers were known as the scourge of corrupt and incompetent presidents, abusive companies and landlords, and meddlesome foreign interests. They are people's champions, and defenders of people's rights.

If we reelect Bayan Muna, we would see Colmenares back in Congress.

Unlike some friends, I have no clever calculation for the Senate. Given the mainstream choices, I would rather vote to open the Senate to new leaders, new faces, and new directions. They come from the grassroots-based people's organizations, with a track record of leadership, and doses of courage. They will protect public funds. They will not hesitate to convict a corrupt impeachable official in a Senate trial.

And so for senator, join me in sleeping soundly and with a clean conscience on Election Night after voting for:

#2 Jerome Adonis

#4 Alyn Andamo

#6 Ronnel Arambulo

#13 Arlene Brosas

#16 Teddy Casino

#17 France Castro

#23 Mimi Doringo

#26 Mody Floranda

#37 Amirah Lidasan

#44 Liza Maza

#54 Danilo Ramos

These are 11 names from Makabayan, and I leave the 12th open, maybe for Sonny Matula, Leody de Guzman or Luke Espiritu.

There are some who say they are making "intelligent" choices by excluding these courageous candidates. But ain't that the wet dream of traditional politicians and political dynasties, to exclude people's candidates aspiring to challenge them in politics? It is a sad misuse of supposed intelligence.

Hopefully in a future election, there would be a complete slate of progressive candidates from president down to councilor. More than that, I hope we would have a political system without traditional politicians and political dynasties. Only then can we really vote freely and wisely.