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Sunday, December 18, 2005
Gulle: Cha Cha, anyone?
By Inocentes A. Gulle
Your Business is Our Business
IN THE "Technical Consultation on Political, Electoral and Constitutional Reforms" forum held last December 6, convened by the Congressional Planning and Budget Department of the House of Representatives, it appeared to me that the Federalization long sought for by Mindanaoans and Visayans in order to break the stranglehold on them of Imperial Manila, is not forthcoming. Not just yet, anyway.
Reading between the lines of the statements of the resource persons who set the tempo of the meeting, it seems the planned constitutional reforms would be just that, "reforms", not a complete overhaul of the hastily written existing one. Maybe the only significant change we can expect is the shift to the unicameral parliamentary system and that's it. Anyway, if ever, federalization would be a long haul, as they said, ten years or something, of adjustment process.
In the meantime, we may probably expect some strengthening of the current Local Government Code to give a little more autonomy to local government units, some modifications of the electoral processes and some changes in rules on foreign investments and land ownership and revenue distribution.
Since the House of Representatives insists on a Constituent Assembly (for lack of funds kono), it would be the congressmen who would dictate the provisions of that proposed "new" constitution and what could we expect but the consolidation of powers in that body (Parliament). I believe it would have been a different story if a Constitutional Convention were to put together a new constitution.
All these consultations they are now making, is to my mind, merely a way of gauging the sentiments of the population. Sad to say, there were not that many really thinking people in attendance in that forum. Perhaps they may already have the inkling that it would be a futile exercise, anyway.
In any case, any system can only be as good as the people running it. As in our case, whatever the system, no matter how strong and foolproof it would be, still our kind of people would always find a lot of holes to get through to make palusot. Well, it's been said, "Rome was not built in a day"; I just wonder how long will it take to make the Philippines.
Whatever, let us just hope the projected constitutional changes would improve this country's economic condition, even just a little bit, and with them, hopefully, a little alleviation from the present miserable living condition of most of our people. We need not be miserable, though, as I always tell my children, "in this our world, life is what we make it and happiness is a but state of mind".
One consolation, though, these things are all passing. I firmly believe that a perfect world government would come one day, a dictatorial form of government where the "Dictator" has only in mind peace, harmony and happiness for the governed. And not only would that government rule this planet earth, but the whole creation, wherein His select ones will also rule under Him, for all eternity.
So it is written, so it shall be done. Unfortunately, almost no one in this world believes it. That's why we all live in misery!
(December 12, 2005 issue)
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