I am placing a bet. My whole month pay envelope from Sun Star. Tamang kalahati lang. In local sabong lingo, doblado. Any taker can call anyone from the editorial staff of the paper. Now the serious business. The talks about amending the 1987 will be reduced to merely fishwives talk, that’s my take. Yes, it was approved by the majority members of the House of Representatives. As it is now the senate is dragging its feet, so to speak. Syempre. If I am a senator I will do the same. Many of them can see through what is the real agenda of many congressmen. Their apprehension is not completely unfounded. Not only the senate is vehently against it but several sectors too.Hindi ko nilalalahat ah! They want to remain in power because of the ‘pork’ now which runs to billions per year. I heard favored congressmen get as much as P5 billion per year. Repeat,BILLIONS.
The excuse of proponents of charter change are the economic provisions of the present constitution which according to them is the reason for the slack in foreign investements. Not necessarily true. It is corruption and red tape why foreign businessmen will rather place their investments in some other Asian countries.Despite the present claim that ‘only’ economic provisions will be tackled, who can prevent if one bloc of congressmen will manifest to study other provisions? It will open the Pandora’s box. There’s no provision in the 1987 constitution that limits it to certain amendments only.
The objections are focused on the possible scenario on the lifting of term limit. This may happen or not. It’s scary in a sense that majority of the solons are not trustworthy. Sorry to say that but that’s the general sentiment. Definitely we cannot label them as patriots. Many are there in the congress for self interest and not for the welfare of the Filipinos. Kitang kita yan, feel na feel naming mamayan yan. Former Senator Ping Lacson himself said percentage on any release from their countrywide development funds aka pork barrel goes to deep pockets of some congressmen. Now therefore the people will not trust ‘thieves’ .That’s no longer debatable. Even if Diogenes is armed with flashlights and thousands lamps in his hands, he would find it extremely difficult to look for ten or twenty solons.
Let’s have this scenario. Assuming they tinkered on the constitution.The first order of business is to extend their terms. The congressmen can keep their seats. In the transitory provision of the renovated charter they can push for a ten year transition period. In the meanwhile everyone remain seated and keep enjoying the privileges. In the early years, people who entered poltics were decent, educated and their wealth was from their sweat. Those who didn't have money but were qualified were voted into office because vote buying was not a practice. Many of these wealthy people became poor after they made their political exits.
Not today! Many politicians who were paupers before, but with stroke of luck won political offices are now wealthy beyond their dreams, and are still counting. Happy going to their banks, here and abroad.