The Dys and politics of Isabela

Many Filipinos are asking who is Speaker Bojie Dy. Why is he being trusted by the Palace? Many among us don’t know that the late original kingpin of Isabela was a longtime ally of BBM's late father.

- Atty. Josephus B. Jimenez

The fourth highest official of the land today is House Speaker Faustino de Guzman Dy III, son of Faustino Ng Dy, the longest-serving governor of Isabela who served for 18 years. Bojie Dy (eldest son of Faustino and his second wife) is today's unquestioned leader of the north with a strong following. He belongs to the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, BBM's own party. There is no other more trusted by BBM in the solid north. BBM is already being abandoned by Chavit Singson, the wealthy trapo from Ilocos Sur, Dy is the most prominent administration ally of the no-longer solid north.

The Dys and the Albanos are the kingpins of Isabela who once wanted to divide the province into Isabela del Norte and Isabela del Sur for a clear act of gerrymandering. But the Isabelenos rejected the proposal. Among the 82 provinces of the Philippines, Isabela is the second largest in area, following Palawan, it's fifteenth in terms of population and one of the richest in assets and revenues. The politics in this province has been, for the longest time, dominated by the scions of Faustino Dy Sr. and the late Rodulfo Albano.