Maria Ela Atienza | |
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| Institutions | University of the Philippines Diliman |
Maria Ela Atienza is a Filipino political scientist and academic at the University of the Philippines Diliman. She serves as editor of the Philippine Political Science Journal and is known for her analyses of Philippine constitutional reform, decentralization policies, and electoral politics.
Atienza graduated from UP Diliman magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in political science (1992); and completed her Master of Arts in political science in 1993. [1] She graduated with distinction from the University of Amsterdam in 1998 with an Executive Master's in European and International Relations; and was awarded her PhD in political science from Kobe University in 2003. [1]
Atienza has extensively studied attempts to revise the Philippine Constitution (known as "Cha-cha"), noting that all efforts since the Ramos administration have lacked genuine popular support. [2] She observed that Filipino politicians face deep public distrust when proposing term limit changes, given Ferdinand Marcos' historical manipulation of the constitution for his "constitutional authoritarianism." [3]
Atienza has been vocal about transparency deficits in the Marcos administration. [4] In her analysis of the political rehabilitation of the Marcos family, she noted that Bongbong Marcos' 2022 presidential campaign successfully invoked nostalgia for a fictionalized "golden age" during his father's dictatorship. [5] She documented that the Marcos era (1965-1986) saw economic contraction, external debt explosion, and widespread malnutrition and agricultural decline. [5] She criticized Marcos' 2023 World Economic Forum trip to Davos for lacking proper disclosure, calling it unconstitutional and damaging to investor confidence, emphasizing how such behavior disregards public accountability. She also observed that legislators systematically advance bills protecting family businesses while neglecting pro-poor reforms, creating inherent conflicts of interest. This pattern, she argued, perpetuates a governance model where personal and dynastic interests routinely outweigh public welfare considerations. [6]
Atienza argued that the Philippine Congress suffers from systemic inefficiencies despite claims of supermajority control. She notes that bills like the Death Penalty Bill and National Land Use Bill languished during the Duterte administration, demonstrating how legislative promises often remain unfulfilled. According to Atienza, this stems from the absence of a genuine political party system, where lawmakers prioritize personal and business interests over party platforms. [7] She cites the Villar family's dual representation in the Senate - with both Cynthia Villar and her son Mark Villar serving simultaneously - as emblematic of how political dynasties protect economic interests, particularly in real estate development. Atienza has maintained that this dynamic ensures the continued blockage of anti-dynasty legislation and neoliberal economic policies favoring incumbent elites. [8]
Atienza's research shows presidential popularity doesn't guarantee successor victories, citing declining Duterte approval ratings, and that the impact of the pandemic recession was comparable to Marcos-era crises. [9] Accordingly, she has been critical of celebrities seeking national office without local experience, arguing popularity doesn't equate to governance competence. [10]
Atienza's 2004 study exposed how the 1991 Local Government Code's health devolution became a vehicle for political ambition ("gift to strengthen coalitions") and a mechanism for decentralizing corruption [11] She found lawmakers pushed devolution to benefit future local campaigns rather than improve healthcare. Atienza has advocated for barangays as "training grounds" for new leaders and laboratories for participatory governance. [12]
During the 2022 drug case involving Justice Secretary Boying Remulla's son, Atienza argued that Remulla's position created institutional pressure despite non-intervention claims, and that the incident reflected broader justice system inequities. [13]
No matter how the government tries to invite investors, the lack of transparency and perceived governance issues don't inspire confidence.