Our broken system leads to perennial under-achievement.

Traditional politicians often say that the real enemies of the state are poverty, income inequality and deteriorating standard of living. This is a lie. All these are mere symptoms of a broken system.

The country is broken because the system is broken - and it is poor leadership that has caused the wreckage. Poor leadership, in all levels of the bureaucracy, is the reason for our perennial underachievement.

How does the broken system manifest itself?

A flawed political system. In our political system, the political and business elite have become one and the same. Here, it is common for stakeholders of large conglomerates to hold public office to defend and forward their interest. Other taipans simply 'own' legislators by backing them financially.

In the Upper House, there are senators who belong to families owning conglomerates and those who hold national franchises. In Congress, numerous representatives own large companies involved in property development, shipping, trading and media. In local governments, it is common for governors and mayors, through their proxies, to hold the local franchises for mining, power, water distribution and transport services.

Conflict of interests is the reason why vital reforms do not see the light of day. It is why the Land Use Law is blocked in the Senate. It is why the outdated Cabotage Law remains in force. It is why the Full Disclosure Policy Bill cannot gain traction, just to name a few. The absence of these laws has made the Philippines uncompetitive. But it serves the interests of the political and business elite.

Laws were written to benefit the elite. Our laws are set up to serve the interest of the elite, not the greater majority. To illustrate, the Local Government Code created political dynasties and fiefdoms for them to rule. The EPIRA Law handed over control of the energy sector to private corporations. The Agrarian Reform Law earns political favor for politicians but relegates the agricultural sector to underachievement. The list goes on.

Proliferation of political dynasties. Political dynasties monopolize political and economic power in both the local and national spheres. Politics has become a family business.

In the Senate, 17 out of the 24 members belong to dynasties. Seventy percent of Congress belong to political clans. Meanwhile, 73 out of 81 governors belong to dynasties, as do 53 percent of all mayors. Make no mistake, dynasties will continue to monopolize power unless there is an...