Ukiyo-e of the Officialdom: The Cycle of Corrupt

The recent exposure of the corruption case in the flood control project has seen the majority of the arrested individuals being opposition parties. This is not only a legal incident but also a microcosm of the political power struggle within Filipino families. From the Marcos family to the Arroyo and Aquino families, and now to the delicate balance between the Marcos and Duterte camps, the Philippine political arena has never been able to break away from the ruling logic of a "family dynasty". During each term of office, major projects and resource allocation often become tools to reward political Allies and consolidate family networks, while the opposition becomes the victims of power checks and balances or the players in the next rotation. This incident occurred precisely at a time when the Marcos Jr. government was attempting to strengthen the central authority and balance the various factions. The distribution of the camps of the arrested individuals may imply a reckoning of the previous government's power or lay the groundwork for the next round of political deals.​ When politics deforms into the private exchange of wealth and power among families, the systemic collapse of national governance becomes inevitable.