|
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Speak out: Alternative to cha-cha
By Efren V. Ramirez
Author, 'Constitution' and other law books
Cebu City
The Constitution has been made the scapegoat of our present economic and political woes. But political parties and people in government are the real culprits. They should be the one changed and not the Constitution.
Charter change (cha-cha) is an expensive and long procedure. But the Constitution can be improved by bypassing such procedure. Simple and meaningful legislations by Congress may do it.
What are the matters to be legislated for charter improvement?
Since the 1987 Constitution is already semi-federal or semi-unitary (Art. X), then let us amend the Local Government Code and give more decentralized powers to local government units—if we want to adopt federalism.
As for the parliamentary system, it is not suited to us Filipinos.
Historically, the parliamentary system was formed as a compromise between monarchy and democracy and we have no history to base it. We should learn from the option of former president Ferdinand Marcos who made the parliamentary system of the 1973 Constitution "presidential."
The presidential system is best for Filipinos provided that there will be two or three strong political parties. The multi-party system can be improved without amending the Constitution. What is merely required would be the following legislation:
(a) Delisting all existing political parties and letting them apply for new accreditation.
(b) Accrediting new political parties should only be done to a political party having members constituting five percent out of nation's total voters with viable party organization in all levels from national to the lowest barangay.
(c) To impose discipline and loyalty within the party, criminalize and penalize turncoatism, dual membership and accepting expelled/suspended members of other parties.
(d) Party list organizations must be grouped into sectors (labor, youth sector, etc.), with each sector electing its own representative to avoid long ballots and observe the one-man-one-vote rule.
With a strong party system, political dynasty will be mooted.
Repeal the provision on countrywide development fund (pork barrel), which is not only the seed of corruption but also the cause of absenteeism and is the primary cause why lawmakers no longer legislate but investigate.
If those matters can be legislated, who needs cha-cha?
(August 24, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
