The Senate Presidency and Charter change

The Senate Presidency will be a big test of the President’s intent on charter change. With candidate, Sen. Frank Drilon, vehemently against charter change, any partiality by the President for him will be interpreted as a choice against charter change. The Palace may have said it will keep its hands off the contest but her position will loom large on who finally becomes senate president.

The issue of charter change has become so knotted up that if Sen. Frank Drilon wins despite his stand on charter change, this will be interpreted as President GMA’s wish. It could trigger disaffection from her allies in Congress. Drilon’s choice could precipitate a House rebellion with the numbers against him for the way he handled charter change in the last Congress. On the other hand, if Villar will have no chance with majority party senators, he may be convinced to turn to the opposition for support. Another Drilon senate presidency will not sit well with the House which is predominantly for charter change.

His record in the past Congress tells it all. He was against charter change and blocked it at every turn by using his position as senate president. Indeed he sounds like a broken record repeating noble sounding but empty excuses like ‘it is not time’ or ‘the economy should come first’. It shows his complete lack of perspective for failing to recognize that charter change does not exclude economic reform. It is not a case of one or the other. On the contrary, it addresses why the country has not moved forward. Charter change is the sine qua non of any lasting economic and political reform.On the other hand, Sen. Manuel Villar has still to be tested as senate president. Unlike Drilon he comes into the picture with clean hands on charter change. If the greatest fear of Drilon and senators with him is that the Senate will be abolished, then they are acting wrongly and being short-sighted. Both the House and the Senate will be abolished to make room for a Parliament. Sen. Villar can win recalcitrant senators to his side with the powerful message that only by tackling the issue of charter change will they be able to fight for transitory provisions for senators.

If GMA were to listen to sound advice she should remain focused on this issue. It gives her a unique chance to aim higher than the presidency and that is to leave a lasting legacy to Filipinos. More practically, if she concentrates on charter change she would extricate herself from the intramurals and act consistently with her public vow not to interfere. As the prime advocate of new politics, she reiterates that issues matter more than personalities. I know some congressmen and local authorities who dispute claims by Drilon that he delivered the West Visayan vote. He may be from Iloilo but voters would be insulted if they are said to be Drilon’s blind followers. Drilon faces a powerful coalition of senators and congressmen/women if he persists on retaining the job in which he failed dismally. President GMA is well-advised to steer clear of the race except to remind whoever wins that charter change is at the top of the government’s platform.

I am inclined to believe Villar’s entry into the Senate head race will be unifying. I know Oppositionists who champion charter change – Angara, Pimentel and Ponce Enrile,among others. It will spark unity if GMA, senators from majority and minority parties plus an overwhelming number of representatives in Congress were to gather around an agenda that they can agree upon, constitutional reform. If Drilon rejects the ‘solomonic’ solution to divide the term then he miscalculates the fallout from such arrogance. It is well known among insiders that Villar already has the numbers but he does not want to go against the President if she wants Drilon to stay. Nor is he inclined to go against the majority that he is part of, but he can be forced by circumstances.

* * *

In an article in The Economist the author says the country desperately needs reform adding that "the political structure of the Philippines mimics America’s, its former colonial ruler, with three co-equal and independent arms of government, a bicameral legislature and a strong executive presidency." Except that it is worse, especially when it comes to elections. "The whole cumbersome process disenfranchises voters who cannot remember the names of the people they want elected, or spell them correctly-quite a challenge even in much richer and more entrenched democracies. It also takes weeks to complete, and presents endless opportunities for fraud. It quotes STAR columnist Alex Magno, an adviser to Mrs Arroyo, that it costs around 3 billion pesos ($53m) to mount ‘a credible presidential campaign, in a country where half the population lives on less than $2 a day.’ It did not have nice words for the Senate either which it considers the worst offender. "Like the president and vice-president, the 24 senators are elected from a single, nationwide constituency. They all consider themselves potential presidents. So they use their time in office to generate the maximum publicity.It is far easier to attract attention with noisy public hearings and dogged filibusters than through workaday legislative compromise." This was never more true than during Drilon’s term. "Throughout all this political paralysis and instability, the Philippine economy has limped along, hobbled by shabby infrastructure, low investment and massive public debt. Worse still, population growth currently stands at around 2 percent, so the standard of living is hardly rising at all. Most durable democracies, epecially in poorer countries, are governed by parliaments. "Of the countries that became independent between 1945 and 1979, 41 adopted parliamentary systems, while 39 opted for strong presidents. Fifteen of the countries with parliaments remained democratic throughout the 1980s, while none of those run by presidents did."

* * *

For whatever reasons, VP Noli is off to a bad start if he accepts the DSWD portfolio. But if he refuses the social welfare portfolio, he will demonstrate that he deserves the high office to which he was elected. If he persists then people will just shake their heads and say "we told you so." C’mon, Mr. Vice-President, be worthy of your position, accept the appointment in NAPSI instead. That will prove you are sincere in wanting to help the poor and leave Dinky Soliman who did a great job as social welfare administrator.

* * *

A group of journalists were in Riyadh when the first successful operation to separate Siamese twins was performed at the King Abdul Aziz Medical City. The operation on Princess Anne and Princess Mae highlights the RP-Saudi relations. Crown Prince Abdullah sponsored the entire enterprise. Amb. Guinomla honored Dr. Al Rabeen who headed the surgical team.He said it seals the friendship between Filipinos and Saudis. The audience cheered when he said "The twins have been separated but our hearts have become conjoined."

* * *

E-mail: cpedrosa@edsamail.com.ph