Ramon “Citoy” Arenas Jr. has expressed interest in running for congressman in the second district of Iloilo where his family owns tracts of land, particularly in the town of Zarraga. Virtually unknown to voters, his claim to fame is that he is the son of socialite-philanthropist Rosemarie “Baby” Arenas who gained public prominence due to alleged rumors of her past relationship with former President Fidel Ramos. A mother of five, she was formerly married to businessman Ramon Lopez Arenas of the wealthy Lopez clan of Iloilo and Negros who once served in the board of the Lopez-owned Manila Electric Company. Thus, Citoy can rightfully claim his Ilonggo lineage.

But it is difficult to talk about Citoy without talking first about his mother, described in a Wikipedia entry as a philanthropist, businesswoman, patron of the arts and culture, and high-profile figure in Manila’s society scene. She was credited for having successfully produced the Philippine concerts of world-renowned tenors, Luciano Pavarotti and Andrea Bocceli. Arenas is said to have had a relationship with former President Ramos, says a 1993 report by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ).

Baby Arenas was born in Pangasinan to an upper middle class family from the town of Malasiqui. Her father, Alfredo Jimenez, worked with the Bureau of Internal Revenue and her mother was the soprano Remedios Bosch, who taught for many years at the University of the East. For three years during the 1960s, Baby Arenas modelled for some of the leading stores and designers in Manila and became a finalist during one of the Miss Philippines pageants in that decade. One of her five children by Ramon Arenas, Rachel, is now congresswoman of the third district of Pangasinan.

It is perhaps the political power and prominence Rachel now enjoy that enticed Citoy to also seek a congressional seat. Or still perhaps, it is the political power and prominence that Baby Arenas enjoy through Rachel’s position that prompted her to convince her son to also seek a congressional seat. Baby Arenas is a known influence-peddler, especially during the incumbency of Ramos from 1992 to 1998. “(She) is known to have sought favors on behalf of a number of business interests and to have influenced a few appointments in government,” says the 1993 PCIJ report.

“Arenas’ power is both real and perceived. She draws strength from her association with (Jose) Almonte, who is probably the President’s closest and most trusted adviser,” says the same report. Jose Almonte was the National Security Adviser of Ramos. “She also projects a power image, flaunting her access to the Palace. She is not shy about making known that she is close to the top official of the land,” the report adds.

In 1995, Arenas ran for senator but failed to make it to the winning circle. She sought for a congressional seat in Makati in 1998 but lost. She has managed to keep a relatively low-profile since then but became publicly visible again during the 2007 elections in support of the candidacy of her daughter.

But the battlefield in Pangasinan is far different from the scenario in Iloilo’s second district. When Rachel ran, she was not running against an incumbent but against new aspirants – Mayor Leo de Vera of Bayambang town, retired police general Reynaldo Velasco, and Jun Tulagan, son of “graduating” congressman Gener Tulagan. Winning a four-cornered fight was easy. All she needed was a plurality vote.

Here, Citoy will be up against the political might of Augusto Syjuco, secretary general of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda), and his wife Rep. Judy Syjuco. Arenas, no doubt, has the money to match the financial war chest of the Syjucos but he does not have the political organization to back his bid. Raising graft and corruption issues against the Syjucos do not work during elections, as proven in the couples’ continued hold of the district. What matters here is the machinery, and Arenas simply does not have that.

Of the eight mayors in the second district, only two are opposed to the Syjucos and who may back anyone running against them – Isabelo Maquino of Santa Barbara and Arcadio Gorriceta of Pavia. The other anti-Syjuco interests will just milk his millions dry. And Citoy may be a Lopez but it appears that Alberto and Emily Lopez, and their organization, are not supporting him. Former Board Member Celia Capadosa may be present during Citoy’s “acquaintance party” on Monday but she has no more clout and her only public function these days is to lead the national anthem in every municipal event in Pavia.

At the end of the day, Citoy is just another poor rich kid who is doing exactly what his mother is telling him to do because she has found pleasure in her role as a wielder of influence. His bid can be best described as “suntok sa buwan” – an impossible dream! Baby Arenas may just be continuing the phenomenon that she started during the Ramos administration. She clinched Pangasinan’s third district through her daughter already, and she is now targeting Iloilo’s second district through her son.

Felipe Alfonso, executive director of the Asian Institute of Management, was quoted in the 1993 PCIJ report as saying about Baby Arenas: “She reflects a highly personalistic society and a protectionist system. Here, protection of industries means protection of families, individuals and power blocs.” So, what else is new? Politics has long become a backyard industry for the rich.

2 Responses to “Poor Rich Kid”

• 1
  Chinito
  November 28th, 2009 11:35

  The Arenases are socials climbers. They have no compassion for the common tao, also they use influence to try land grab…for example in Boracay, they are sitting on what is not theirs.
• 2
  Chinito
  November 30th, 2009 11:59

  Thank you for posting my comment on the Arenases.
  They are perceived even by the Lopezees to be more “alta” than they really are, which is so un-Ilonggo.
  Baby Arenas is Manila’s scandal queen, deriving her beauty from layers upon layers of scandalous foundation. So what does she really look like? here’s a sampler

  http://cocktales.ph/?p=1863
  and
  http://cocktales.ph/?p=1627
  and
  http://cocktales.ph/?p=1614

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