How to make Imperial Manila more powerful

Our senators are seeking the ouster of the officials of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) purportedly because of the alleged "highly anomalous" P1.24-billion contract for the purchase of automated counting machines in 2003. Here we go again… our senators have already ordained or even "convicted" Comelec officials for fraud for entering into this contract, a matter within the province of the judiciary. Let me make it clear to you that only a court of law can declare a contract anomalous or fraudulent and that is something someone has to prove in our courts. Just because a senator thinks that the contract is fraudulent doesn’t make it one!

What the Senate ought to do is ask the Department of Justice (DOJ) to file criminal cases against those who entered into this contract so that we can verify whether it is really what the senators say it is. In the meantime, instead of demanding the resignation of the Comelec officials, I suggest that the Senate come up with a total reform package for our electoral system… like abolishing the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK), which has not contributed to the political maturity of our electors or politicians.

It is time for the Senate to seriously study and consider looking at the new draft Constitution made by the Consultative Commission (Con-com), which I gathered from Dr. Jose "Pepe" Abueva himself, will be formally transmitted to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA) today. As what I read in the column of fellow columnist Alex Magno last Tuesday, I know that only our congressmen will be elated by the Con-com report because those of us who batted for a federal system will be disappointed today as the federal system of government will take a backseat in the new draft Constitution.

Meanwhile, I will refrain from commenting on what the Con-com will be presenting to the President and will just wait for her response to this draft Constitution. Only then will we make our commentaries. I need to know whether the President has the heart of a real reformer… because real reforms are what this country needs.

Let me just say that if we shift from a presidential form of government to a parliamentary system, it would only make Imperial Manila stronger… because in a parliamentary system, the executive and legislative branches are fused as one! I would have thought that our political reforms would limit the powers of Imperial Manila and give more of these powers to our local governments through a federal system, which would act as a balancing force against a very powerful Imperial Manila.

But this doesn’t seem to be happening soon, but I will keep on praying that President Arroyo and Congress will see the light… that they really have nothing to be scared about federalism. This was done in Germany, just after the end of the Third Reich, where most of Germany’s cities were in tatters or ruins and all their factories were in shambles.

Yet, when the new Germany embraced a federal system of government, despite their heavy debt and reconstruction and reparation cost, it was able to bounce back in 20 years to rejoin the great economies of the world. Alas, too many people in Manila believe that we Filipinos are not responsible enough for a federal government. This is why even after we shift to a parliamentary system, our diaspora will continue! Until and unless the Filipino people are convinced that we will have a government that will truly address the needs of our people, they will seek greener pastures elsewhere as only the politicians in this country will get rich and happy!

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We got a very positive reaction to the article we wrote last Wednesday about the Values and Leadership program of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Region 7 in their Gaas, Balamban Training Center. Here’s one who responded to this article:

"Mr. Avila, I am very much touched by your news report that there are people working for the transformation of our men in uniform. I myself had lost trust in men of uniform but after reading your column, I realized that there must be hope somewhere. Praying that our officers would get enlightened, and once more serve and defend our people and our country with dignity and respect. I would like to become part of it. And I would like to know where and to whom I can mail the little financial help that I can afford. Please make this anonymous. Sincerely (name withheld upon request)."

This letter is just an example of how people can be generous if they only know that we are seriously looking for ways to improve ourselves. At this point, we salute people like police General Samson Tucay for his noble efforts in trying to remold our police force into a force that gets the confidence of the citizenry. Let’s just hope that his programs are adopted throughout the country.

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Whenever I go through the Transcentral Highway, it always reminds me of my favorite defunct golf course, the Kang-Irag golf course operated by the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA), which eventually leased it to Jose Go of Ever Gotesco and Orient Bank fame. Passing through Busay, one can see what used to be a Gary Player golf course, which was eventually totally destroyed by Ever Gotesco to make way for a 36-hole golf course.

Back then I asked the Gotesco representatives not to destroy the playable course until they could come up with at least a nine-hole golf course. But they didn’t listen and in the end, they did not only fail to deliver a 36-hole golf course, they also totally erased the Gary Player-designed golf course that was the Kang-Irag golf course.

A week ago, I heard that Sen. Richard Gordon asked the PTA, "What is the PTA doing that all its infrastructure are not earning and are losing millions of pesos?" Well, the Kang-Irag golf course is one of those that Sen. Gordon is asking about. The answer to Sen. Gordon’s question is simple… no one in the PTA has ever been thrown into jail for bungling PTA projects and the Kang-Irag is one of them. In frustration, Sen. Gordon wants the PTA to be privatized. But if you ask me, the PTA should be a test case for Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez to see whether she can put those incompetent officials in jail! The ball is now with her!

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For e-mail responses to this article, write to [email protected]. Bobit Avila’s columns can also be accessed through www.thefreeman.com. He also hosts a weekly talkshow, "Straight from the Sky," shown every Monday, at 8 p.m., only in Metro Cebu on Channel 15 of SkyCable.