Saturday, August 13, 2005
Maambong disagrees with charter change
By Jeanette P. Malinao
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
It’s not the system that’s failing, it’s the people and the persons in power.
Saying that, Cebu Provincial Board Member Victor Maambong yesterday went against popular clamor and the President’s call to change the Constitution now.
Speaking before lawyers and members of the academe in a forum on federalism yesterday, Maambong defied the prevailing sentiment at the gathering and “prescriptions” from speakers from Canada, by saying that Charter change is not the call of the hour.
“Ultimately, those who have power do not look at programs and goals but favors and money, and forget the source of power. And the people should also understand their power in changing their leaders,” said Maambong.
“It’s really the people, whatever the system is. The question of the day is whether we have a leader who could propel us in the next coming months, not on tampering with the Constitution just to solve a political issue,” he said.
The forum at the University of San Carlos (USC) on federalism had one of the speakers, Dr. Rey Pagtakhan from Canada, calling on the Philippines, where he was born, to “consider seriously” a parliamentary and federal form of government.
Pagtakhan and Dr. J. Peter Meekison, a professor of political science from the University of Alberta, shared the Canadian experience on parliamentary federalism.
With parliamentary and federal forms of government, Pagtakhan said, “Hopefully, we’ll have something good for our country, my country of birth that I continue to love.”
Meekison explained how the governments of Canada delineate and share powers.
But for Maambong, the current local government units, if given autonomy, can do it.
Lawyer Joan Sarausos-Largo, a lecturer on Constitutional law, disagreed with Maambong by pointing out the importance of changing the system, which “shapes and influence behaviors.”
Also, Prof. Brenette Abrenica, an instructor on local governments under the USC Department of Political Science, cited that local autonomy is only in the books and that in reality, the practice is the “exact opposite.”
Not only is the decentralization provided for in the Local Government Code “limited,” the National Government still has “general supervision” over local governments.
The Philippine geography and diverse languages are basis for federalism, said Abrenica, and “more so because it is what Filipinos want.”
When the Board passed a resolution supporting Arroyo’s call, Maambong voted for a Constitutional convention (Concon) as a way of amending the Constitution.
In explaining his statements yesterday in relation to his action at the Board, Maambong said Concon is the “vehicle” he will choose in case the move to make a new Constitution will be forced.
(August 13, 2005 issue)
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