Parliamentary system: Beginning of real change

If Fernando Poe Jr. decides he wants to be president of this country, he will be president in 2004.

This was confirmed by an informal survey conducted recently in the C-D-E bracket, including selected OFWs. Forty percent, or 15 million of the 32 million voting public live under the poverty line. This figure, analysts believe, will continue to swell, with the lower bracket adding about 90 percent (or 1.6 million) to the 1.7 million yearly growth rate. Today, those belonging to the C-D-E sector have an average of 4.3 children per family. By 2012, and with the present growth rate, we will reach 100 million, 70 million of which will be below the breadline. There seems to be no end in sight to the growing poverty no matter what government does or will do. The only way out is a comprehensive and effective population management program that should have been implemented yesterday combined with a massive educational program for the masses. FPJ, like his friend Joseph Estrada, will win because he is popular with the masses, and the poor look up to him as their only salvation from poverty in both reel and real life. As long as we elect a leader through a popularity contest, FPJ, and other big name celebrity figures, in all likelihood, will win hands down.

Postponing the elections in 2004 is not an option. The present leadership was installed through the parliament of the streets, thus it needs to be validated through a credible, popular election. People who belong to the old Spanish colonial days, and who advocate the old "Casique" mentality of allowing only those who pay taxes to vote should be forewarned. Any political scientist can tell them that this kind of mentality is the perfect formula to spur the social volcano to erupt earlier. The only possible way out of our present situation is to consider changing the presidential system to a parliamentary form of government. This could perhaps be implemented three years after the 2004 elections.

We do not have to look far on how it has worked well for other countries. Many of our neighbors in Asia, like Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Australia, have been successful in implementing some form of parliamentary system of government. It has proven to be cost-efficient and effective. Instead of agreeing to just one form, we could, with a little innovation, put together the best of what these countries have already implemented. We could engage in a unicameral parliament with an elected Prime Minister as the sole head of state and government in order to centralize constitutional authority. Or, we could adopt the Presidential-Parliament system of France where a president, as head of state, would be given limited powers and with the possibility of reelection for another six years for continuity, and a Prime Minister elected by parliament to head the government. We may also want to consider a bicameral parliament for the effective enforcement of check and balances.

We have been following the US presidential form of government for many years since 1935, and subsequently, with the 1987 Constitution. It is apparent that the presidential system has not worked well for the country. Our quality of life has not really changed for the better. A western diplomat once remarked to me, "The US presidential form of government is for a country that can afford it. Certainly the Philippines cannot afford it." We all know too well how the present system spawns patronage politics as well as massive corruption.

One interesting benefit that the parliamentary system offers: members of Parliament have the power and the authority to unseat either the President or the Prime Minister if the parliament thinks any one or both have been remiss in their duties. All the MPs have to do is cast a no-confidence vote, and either the President or Prime Minister would be immediately replaced. This is why it is called "The Government of the Day."

The parliament of the streets, or People Power, has worked twice for this country, and significantly, without bloodshed. We may not be lucky the third time. Perhaps, Joe de V’s prediction may happen with the military deciding that their time has come to take power, possibly with the help of the hidden white hand.

The time to seriously consider a parliamentary system of government has finally come. We must do it now before we hit the 100 million mark.

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I received an interesting e-mail from a Filipino-American residing in the United States. He wrote: "I religiously followed the impeachment trial of former president Joseph Estrada. I was totally impressed with how Chief Justice Davide conducted the impeachment proceedings, which is similar to what we have in the US. I was soon dismayed when the prosecutors walked out of the impeachment proceedings, which to me signaled the death of the democratic system in the Philippines. EDSA thereafter followed, and in my opinion, it also marked the end for the rule of law. Mind you, I am no fan of Estrada. I was never for him, and I truly believe he was corrupt and incompetent. However, we must remember, he was a democratically elected president, thus the people should have allowed the constitutional process to take its course. It is ironic that today, the very same people who did not follow the law in ousting Estrada are stressing "the rule of law." This is a clear case of double standard. A military officer who participated in the ouster told me, ‘If we had not succeeded in forcing Estrada out of office, all of us would be in jail today for treason.’"

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