A new Constitution without Aquino III; Filipinos overseas respond

An African-American teacher was once asked what was the secret of effective teaching and why she was so good at it. Her answer: “I say it once, then I repeat it for the second time, a third time, a fourth time and so on until it is learned by heart.”  The same applies to the lessons on constitutional reform that hardy advocates have been at for years.

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The Philippines needs constitutional reform to change our system of politics and governance. The present system lends itself to graft and corruption.

The reforms have nothing to do with extending President Aquino’s term. He is barred by the Constitution even if he had been a good president to run for another term.

Thank heaven we have a Constitution that will not allow him or he will do more damage to the country. He has been the worse president we had ever had because he does not have either the qualifications or experience or vision to run a country.

We must not allow a distortion of the advocacy by the yellow media. We need constitutional reform to change the system not to extend the term of a President who has destroyed our democracy and its rule of law.

Those who equate constitutional reform with extending the President’s term are playing dirty tricks.

We need constitutional reform to restructure the body politic for good governance. So far crowdsourcing from Bayanko.org.ph is veering towards a parliamentary federal system.

I repeat: we will push for constitutional reform to change the system so that we would never again have an incapable individual to lead this country.

Someone without experience or vision should not lead the country.

Cardinal Vidal had said quoting the earlier Lipa declaration of National Transformation Council.

“In Lipa, the Assembly declared that far from preserving and defending the Constitution, as he swore to do when he assumed office, the incumbent President has subverted and violated it by corrupting the Congress, intimidating the Judiciary, taking over the Treasury, manipulating the automated voting system, and perverting the constitutional impeachment process.

He has damaged the moral fabric of the society, and has therefore lost the moral right to lead the nation. ?The Assembly called upon the incumbent to relinquish his position now.

These are very strong words, which the Lipa Declaration has submitted to our people for their careful consideration.

I hope and pray that in this Assembly, here in Cebu, the National Transformation Council will have the opportunity to further amplify this issue. May the wisdom of the Almighty God guide this Assembly in its deliberations and in crafting the appropriate Declaration that will issue from these proceedings.

Like a true leader of his flock the cardinal asked those present that they deliberate carefully what was declared in Lipa.

In my opinion, Aquino should not have to be told to resign if this is what he is doing to the country because of his incompetence. He should do so on his own volition.

 Cardinal Vidal chose his words wisely for which the poor cardinal is being pilloried by the yellow media. Cardinal Vidal, the unsung hero of Edsa, should stand by his words.

From the hundreds of thousands of hits and visits into Bayanko.org.ph, many come from Filipinos from overseas. They have gained experience and knowledge working in countries with a parliamentary federal system. One such man is Dr. Rey Pagtakhan who has graciously accepted to be part of the panel that will draft the new Constitution.

Dr. Rey D. Pagtakhan was the first Pinoy-Canadian who became a MP (Member of Parliament) in Canada and the first Pinoy to be an elected member of a federal or national legislature in the whole of North America and the world. He was also the first Pinoy to be appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and the first Pinoy to be appointed to the Federal Cabinet.

He was awarded as Most Outstanding Young Filipino-Canadian in 1998. In 2002 he became Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister responsible for Manitoba and served on the Cabinet Committees on Economic Union, Social Union and Government Communications.

In 2003 he was appointed by Prime Minister Paul Martin as Minister of Western Economic Diversification and served on the Cabinet Committees on Domestic Affairs and Aboriginal Affairs. “– from Wikipedia

Rey was born in Bacoor, Cavite, Philippines. He received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of the Philippines. After graduation, Dr. Rey completed his residency and fellowship at the Washington University Medical Centre/St. Louis Children’s Hospital and his Master of Science from the University of Manitoba.

He wrote “I salute Ms. Carmen Pedrosa as Convenor of BayanKo.org.ph, which I visited and found informative and inspiring. And I congratulate you for your commitment. A tall challenge, indeed, for all craving for good governance in the Philippines.

Yes, I would be more than glad to share my insights from a Canadian perspective. Even Canada has had its share of lapses in political ethics; fortunately, few and far between. Here, a truly independent Auditor-General’s Office plays a pivotal role insofar as holding the government to financial accountability.

A truly independent Supreme Court asserts the rule of law that is binding on both citizens and government. The principle of ministerial responsibility and accountability is a powerful tool which the Speaker in the House of Commons guards dutifully. Ministers uphold their Code of Ethics. The Speaker, once elected by his peers in Parliament, ceases to seat in his own political caucus meetings.

Parliament as a whole is vigilant through its Committees. Daily Question Period – open to the public and televised for nationwide viewing – keeps the government on its toes.

A truly independent Election Canada ensures the sanctity of the ballots. One requirement that all candidates, without exception, shall comply with is to designate during an election an Official Agent who submits directly to Election Canada an externally audited statement of the candidate’s election expenses and donations. There are limits to how much a candidate can spend during one’s election. Over and above the institutional strengths is the culture of political integrity and nobility of politics coupled with a vigilant citizenry.

To the well-being of the Filipino people and kababayan, I remain hopeful of the future.

Rey was born in Bacoor, Cavite. He received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of the Philippines.

I asked his permission to publish his letter of acceptance. “Yes you may and I hope it facilitates dialogue to the extent that together we help distill the best in all of us — from all walks of life and beyond geographic borders — in the service of God and country, of truth and social justice.”