More of the same

The present furor over Charter change (Cha-cha) is a rehash of what happened in 1996-97 when attempts were also made to amend our constitution. The oppositors are the same and they belong to the same sectors who vehemently resisted the move at that time. They are also raising exactly similar grounds: That this is not the propitious time to tinker with our charter; that there are more pressing problems besetting our country which should have priority and occupy the precious time of everybody more specifically poverty, corruption and peace and order; that the solutions to our problems lie not in altering our fundamental law but in reforming ourselves, the fault is not in the system but in the people operating it. Once again, sinister motives are being attributed to the advocates of Cha-cha whose moves are seen as shameless attempts at prolonging their stay in power beyond the legally allowable limits. If elections will not be held in 2004 because of cha-cha, then let's not have Cha-cha at this time. If Cha-cha is really a must, let’s have it after 2004, so say the oppositors.

As it was in 1996-97 so it is in 2002-03. We still have the same pressing problems of poverty, corruption, peace and order which are being bandied about as having priority over any Charter change. If these problems are still with us now, then it seems that solving them first is not, after all, a good and valid reason to oppose Cha-cha. Who knows if we had the cha-cha then, we may not be having the same problems now. And if we again postpone doing the Cha-cha until after 2004 because of the fear of "Noel" (no election), that fear will still be there after 2004 because that same rotten elections must still be held every three years thereafter. So the same ground being raised now about our elective officials prolonging their stay in power which was also raised in 96-97 will again be raised after 2004 in connection with 2007 elections and thereafter. It looks like we are caught in a vicious whirlpool of debilitating skepticism, imaginary fear and irrational distrusts of others that effectively blocks the refreshing gush of reforms long felt needed and probably achievable through the amendment of our constitution.

That our Constitution needs amendment is almost indisputable. There are sufficient sad and deplorable intervening events after the drowning out of the first call for amendment that makes the amendment now more imperative. But this move is again being sidetracked by virtually the same reasons that derailed it when first advocated. Instead of discussing what changes must be done, how they must be done and the pros and cons of the proposals, the debate is still centered on the same old arguments that suppressed the initial move and brought us now in the same situation we found ourselves at that time. And so we are slowly but inexorably marching to a repeat of the ensuing events that happened after the first Cha-cha was aborted. We are facing another election that is more of a popularity contest and a battle of aspirants with bottomless pockets than a meaningful political exercise of choosing the best and most qualified leaders. The scenario after 2004 gives us a feeling of deja vu where our country is in for another upheaval of Edsa proportion although another Edsa is becoming less and less viable as an option. In our situation now, there is no harm in trying whatever is not yet tried. It may be the lesser evil or no evil at all.

What to do then? Just dream perhaps. Dream that the elections in 2004 will be held after all, only that we will be electing officials who will run under a different form of government approved through an amendment of the charter by the constituent assembly of Congress. Dream that the convening of a constituent assembly did not encounter so much opposition because the air has been cleared of skepticism, mistrust and poisonous politics that have been with us all these years. Dream that the air has become clear because all those who participated in the Constituent assembly have also forsaken any ambition to run for public office under the Constitution which they amended. Then wake up to see what you can do to make these dreams come true.

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