Cha-cha - about time to start the info work

Consultation on Charter change in the barangay level has been called by the leadership of the House of the Representatives. This is a good development. Indeed, there is a need to feel the pulse of the people on the grassroot level with regard to the proposed changes in the Constitution. We are talking here of two major issues: The adoption of the parliamentary form of government and the shift to a federal system. Do barangay folks agree that these changes be incorporated in the law of the land? But before this question is floated among them this question should first be asked: Are the rank and file adequately informed of what the parliamentary and the federal systems are all about?

Consultation enlightens a choice and a choice presupposes knowledge of what is chosen. Hence, a major aspect of the proposed barangay fora should be a presentation on the nature and characteristics of a parliamentary government and the federal system of authority sharing. Obviously, what is needed is an extensive educational campaign on these subjects as well as other subjects that should form the package of amendments or addenda that should be tacked into the revitalized Constitution.

Unfortunately, no such campaign is being undertaken, nor is there a distinct group tasked to undertake it. Which national agency or private organization should spearhead this activity? It's about time the national government step into the picture and start the preliminary spade-work. Or has the executive office lost interest in Charter change? The President emphatically pointed out in her SONA the need to retool the Constitution saying that our system of governance has outgrown its usefulness. But where's the evidence she meant what she said? In her recent public statement the President was reported to have said that she intends to complete her entire term until 2010. We hope she was misquoted because placing Chacha under wraps would have a disastrous consequence for her government. In fact, dilly-dallying on it would disappoint many people, including those who are supportive of her in the current crisis. GMA should realize that the time for changing options is past. She should now pursue Chacha with all the resources at her command.

What if once the Charter is changed PGMA loses the presidency? This could be good for her and the entire country, for then leadership change shall have been carried out through a legitimate mechanism. Besides, assuming she would be sidelined under the new government, she still has years before her and given favorable developments, she could still win a mandate either as Prime Minister or as an empowered President under a parliamentary form.

Actually, there are a lot of things to be learned about a parliamentary form of government as well as federalism as a system. With reference to the former, there are different types of parliamentary systems adopted by different countries each of which has its own characteristics features.

For example, England's parliamentary government is a government by the Monarch together with the parliament. It is a system wherein the Crown as the ruling authority exercises its powers with the consent of the parliament whose members are directly elected by the people. Built into the system is a team of ministers who constitute the Cabinet and who wield the executive authority. There is thus an almost complete fusion between the legislative and the executive powers.

In France, the government is characterized by the rule of the popular assembly, the parliament, whose members are directly elected by the people. The powers of this body transcend that of the government itself with the latter's existence dependent upon the will of the legislative body.

Considering the many types of parliamentary governments, which type shall the Philippines adopt? This question can be answered only after an exhaustive study and observation of the various systems in various countries and after a close look at our socio-cultural and political value patterns. The implication is that a lot of legwork is needed before we decide to tinker with our current system, otherwise what we will get will be worse than what we already have.