Politics has many moods. Invariably, it sends shock waves of expectation and disbelief, betrays recurrent survey rankings, debunks theoretical studies, and eventually reinvents itself. When interviewed, political analysts labor hard to foreground novel insights as if they were the gospel truth to the envy of Plato’s sophists.

The voter turnout baffled many, banished some, disowned a few. One veteran senator, however bashed, got the miracle he asked for; another scratched an apple from nothing, proof that in this world of phantasm or broken dreams “when a door closes, a window opens.” Being a celebrity, a hereditary dynast, an incumbent has had its day.

At moments when the votes were being counted, the noose tightened, Damocles’ sword dropped, but Rep. Rodante Marcoleta cut the Gordian knot. Who would have thought that a star would shine from Room 205, South Wing, of the House of Representatives?

Who waved the magic wand so he could champion the cause of the battered populace?

Whereas he once abandoned his dream of freeing his countrymen from the clutches of a wicked regime, this time when the polling charts indicated a sudden surge in his public awareness and approval, he was quick to tame the beasts (i.e., Social Weather Stations, Pulse Asia).

What can he do once he sits as a senator? Will he be able to remove the silos that make each senator a “republic” unto their own? Though the heavens fall, will he champion the greatest good for the greatest number toward a paradigm shift that will project the government as a guardian rather than a spender?

How worried should the oligarchs be?

As chairman of the Committee on Rules, Deputy Speaker, and chairman of the Special Committee on WTO and Globalization with 18 years as a congressman behind him, leading the Senate should not invite resistance, more so if he would advance genuine reforms.

As a champion of good causes, Marcoleta would constantly promote the public interest so no one is left behind, navigating the democratic process bound by conscience rather than by instructions from the powers-that-be.

The reign of dynastic families is coming to a halt. End-of-term senators gliding down to other elective seats flunked the “preference test,” viz., Cynthia Villar and Koko Pimentel lost mayoralty and congressional bids, respectively. Metaphorically, when the music stopped, Gringo Honasan, Francis Tolentino, Bong Revilla, Manny Pacquiao and Abby Binay got no seats. Several celebrities themselves faded away at the nexus of politics and showbiz.

Non-front runners and weak contenders in survey polls swung the Senate doors open for their “dramatic entrance,” namely, Marcoleta, returning opposition senators Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan, and as old as the hills Tito Sotto and Ping Lacson who benefited from the equity of former incumbents.

The studies done by David and Legara could now be debunked as there were celebrities, incumbents, and dynasts who lost their senatorial bids. Philip Salvador, Willie Revillame, Ben Tuflo of the first type; Manny Pacquiao, Bong Revilla, Francis Tolentino of the second type; Abby Binay, Cynthia Villar, Gwendolyn Garcia of the third type — all lost.

Labeled “2025 graduates” Benny Abante, Stella Quimbo, Frances Castro, Dan Fernandez, Arlene Brosas were casualties of the shame game. Clinching 104 seats, Martin Romualdez’s Lakas-CMD remains a dominant party in the House to save the status quo.

To equate House membership as representative of 116 million Filipinos is an equivocation. Of the 57 million that turned out to vote, only about half or even less actually picked the administration candidates.

The Senate’s incoming 5:7 configuration tilts the balance of power to the opposite camp to frustrate the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. The total 23-member Senate translates to a 50-50 tug of war between both sides of the aisle.

Still, a grave cause for concern worth militating against are senators “rising in tandem” (e.g., siblings, etc.) and in the House progressive partylist representatives saturating the chamber.