New call for Charter Change

There’s a call to amend our 1987 Constitution spearheaded by no less than Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte. About time we do this. For 25 years, the kinks in that edition of our fundamental law have been a drag to the country’s socio-economic, cultural and political development.

One major concern is too much concentration of power and authority in one office – that of the President of the Republic. We are not under a monarchical system, but whoever resides in Malacañang is no less all powerful than an enthroned royalty. With his awesome influence in almost all aspects of governance, including in fact that of the legislative and judiciary, offices which are supposed to be of co-equal status as that of the executive, a president can make or unmake the leaderships therein.

Look at what happened to former Chief Justice Renato Corona. More alarming, look at what’s happening to former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. (Only the other day, a plunder case was filed against her, and how many similar cases are on the pipeline?)

We are not saying that we should let former presidents and other top officials who took advantage of their positions for personal gain go scot free. What we are saying is that these things are happening because Malacañang wants these to happen. When Malacañang sneezes, the whole country gets the cold!

And look too at how political groups, local or national, are currently gravitating towards PNoy’s club house. Many of these political figures are neither kaklase or kabarilan, but the liberal party mogul embraces them just the same. Who says politics is not addition, come who may?

If you are a local official, you have to be sensitive to the music from the Pasig office, otherwise you will have only a pittance for projects. If you are a congressman, you have to know which way the presidential wind blows or your reelection bid would be in jeopardy.

Imperial Manila exists because the focus of power is there. Yet Manila is not the Philippines. Without the provinces, how can that capital city survive? Taxes from all over the country flow towards that city and only a small part goes back for local government support. Is it any wonder that infrastructure facilities in the provinces are in poor state while those in Manila and neighboring areas are state of the art?

If only we can strengthen, really strengthen, the local government units. If only we can have something like federalized states, much can be achieved towards dispersal of authority and equitable sharing of resources. But of course, this needs Charter Change.

Unfortunately, President Aquino doesn’t like Charter Change. Actually, no sitting president wants to tinker with the Constitution. From the watch of Fidel Ramos to that of Joseph Estrada and of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo all talks of amending the Constitution remained just talks. Why? Because no president wants the power and pecks he enjoys be taken away. Can we blame PNoy for being cold to the current call for chacha?

Daang matuwid has been the catch call of PNoy’s leadership. Perhaps if he can see that through a redirection of some major policies of the government certain crooked byways of governance can be straightened, he might change his mind. Corruption, for example, thrives extensively in high places, especially if those at the top are involved. But in the regional or provincial corridors malfeasances are easily observed and exposed, thus discouraging deviant tendencies.

We appreciate the courage of Senate President Enrile and House Speaker Belmonte. They know of course the temper of the president insofar as amending the Cory Constitution is concerned. Yet they dare to court the president’s displeasure with their publicly announced initiative. As of today, rejoinders from their colleagues seem low-key if not lukewarm. But if our senators and representatives would set aside for a while politics and self-interest they would find the needed voice to support Chacha.

Can we expect this to happen?