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Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Sona riddled with half-truths: Msgr. Dakay
Changing the Constitution is not the real answer to the current political and economic woes hounding the country, as improving the quality of life should be the priority, said Cebu Archdio-cesan Media Liaison Officer Msgr. Achilles Dakay.
He admitted being disappointed with the President’s State of the Nation Address (Sona), which he described as “half-truth” because it did not reflect the real state of the country.
While Dakay is not keen on the advantages and disadvantages of amending the Constitution, he said the Sona was a clear indication that “she (Arroyo) wants to remain in office.”
Wounded
The proposed Charter change is a diversionary tactic for the President, Dakay said, adding that “moral” aspects of the current national crisis should have been given more emphasis.
“People have been wounded by unjust socio-economic division, political bickering and graft and corruption, but she did not mention these,” he said.
The omission of the issue on the creation of a truth commission likewise disappointed Fr. Carmelo Diola, a strong advocate against graft and corruption and a leader of Barug Pilipino, a Church-based movement.
“There were so many issues which I felt should have been tackled like the Comelec-related mess during the 2004 elections,” he said.
The President had called for the creation of the truth commission to look into allegations of electoral fraud that has hounded her the past five weeks and even led to demands for her resignation and the filing of an impeachment complaint.
Diola also agrees with Dakay that Charter change will not help solve the country’s current crisis because if the same people run the government, whatever form it is, it will not result in real change.
At the Capitol, Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr. supports the President’s call for a Charter change through a constituent assembly.
“Now is the right time and it should be done quickly. I really appreciate the direction—from Imperial Manila down to the countryside and it’s good for the LGUs,” Sanchez said.
He also supports the constituent assembly because it is “not as costly as constitutional convention.” Former governor Pablo Garcia, however, disagrees.
Economic measures
With the impeachment proceedings and the Charter change to tackle, Cebu City Councilor Edgardo Angara urged Congress to prioritize economic measures that could ease the country’s problems.
In a proposed resolution, he urged Congress “to lead the way towards political stability by prioritizing legislative matters vested with huge economic and financial concerns.”
The City Council is expected to tackle the proposed resolution today in the absence of Labella and other councilors who are on an official trip to the United States.
Councilors Labella, Hilario Davide III, Eugenio Faelnar and Rodrigo Abellanosa will be in the City of Spokane in Washington State starting today until July 31 to attend the Sister Cities International Conference.
Like Cebu City’s representatives in Congress, Councilor Jose Daluz III said he supports the Charter change and the subsequent shift to a parliamentary federal form of government.
Devolving power to the local government units would not only lessen corruption in the government but would also hasten the delivery of basic services to the countryside, said Daluz.
“Our present political system really hampers the delivery of services because decision on most things has to come from Manila. Projects are always delayed and there is too much corruption because of a centralized system,” he told reporters yesterday. (JGA/MBG/LCR)
(July 27, 2005 issue)
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