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Friday, January 24, 2003
Espinoza: Charter change debate delaying reforms
By Fred C. Espinoza
FORUM SET. Speaker Jose de Venecia will be here early next month to present his views on what he thinks is an ideal mode of amending our Constitution and changing the form of government. He will most likely bat for a parliamentary system as the best alternative for our country to survive the challenges of globalization.
The forum will be held at the Regency Crest, Paseo de Saturnino, Ma. Luisa st. on Feb. 7, courtesy of Norberto Quisumbing Jr., chairman of the Norkis group of companies. He has invited leaders in the business community as well as those in the academe and media to share their views on the matter. Mr. Quisumbing said the Speaker will fly to Cebu in the morning for the discussion.
On the other hand, let’s hope we can all be united for the good of our country while the contentious public debate on Charter change rages on at the great sacrifice of many urgent proposals that could have a meaningful impact in our life as a nation. Others are even wondering whether Congress is trying to distract the attention of the people from its difficult situation of having to decide, once and for all, whether or not it should grant entertainers and other professionals an extension on their exemption from the 10-percent value-added tax.
Congressional leaders are aware, for example, that the exemption of professionals from VAT have been depriving the government of P8.6 billion in revenues a year. But to many, the biggest casualty in the politicians’ penchant for partisan politics is President Arroyo’s anti-poverty program, what she believes to be the cornerstone of a good transition president.
Even the President’s efforts to fight graft and corruption, the computerization project of the Commission on Elections, in response to the demands for close monitoring of electoral returns to ensure clean and orderly elections in 2004—all these seem to have lost their meaning because of the debate on Charter change. By this time, we hope our politicians have realized that while other countries are able to decide their elections in a matter of hours, we in the country are still tied to the obsolete mode of canvassing election results.
And what about President Aroyo’s commitment to good governance? To demonstrate her commitment, she has unleashed a slew of strategies and programs costing P753 million to bolster her campaign against corruption, which critics have described as lackluster during her first 20 months in office.
We need every little time left to first attend to the most important needs of our country if we expect to survive the challenges of globalization as a proud race. Charter change should be set aside for the time being until we can reestablish our economy on solid ground.
(January 24, 2003 issue)
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