Pabling endorses shift to parliamentary government

Former Cebu Governor Pablo Garcia would prefer a shift to parliamentary form of government because under this system leaders are elected on the basis of qualifications and track record in public service rather than on popularity.

Under the present system, candidates who are popular because of media have better chances of winning due to name recall.

"The reality is that those qualified to be elected are being sidelined by showbiz personalities," Garcia said.

Garcia cited the easy victory of Senators Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., Lito Lapid, and Jinggoy Estrada.

Under the current system, those running for office spend a huge amount of money in elections. Candidates for the presidency spends about P6 to P8 billion, Garcia said.

Because of the massive amount involved in election expenses, candidates largely depend on contributions from rich businessmen who after the elections might demand a return of their investment, he said.

"Such a situation is prone to cronyism and corruption," Garcia said.

In a parliamentary rule, elections are done by districts and not as expensive as in the current system. - Gregg M. Rubio