Useless constitutional tenets

There are at least two principles written in our constitution that have the potential of establishing a dynamic leadership. These precepts are laid down in the most profound aspiration that we continue to have leaders who are imbued with newer and fresher ideas. The first principle comes in the form of term limit to elective officials and the second is the proscription against political dynasty. So far though, they have remained just that - potential - because many of our leaders, would not jostle to put these tenets in operation.

Speaking of the human mind, the irrefutable fact is that no one has a monopoly of knowledge. Always, there is somebody who looks at a situation in a different, if not better way. Even the geniuses themselves vary in their approaches to a common problem.

Neither is there anyone who can claim his love of country being superior to everyone else. In fact, there can never be an empirical test to determine who loves his country most. Do not the Marcoses publicly proclaim, to date, that they have in their hearts the best interests of Filipinos?

Realizing these, the brilliant men and women who drafted the 1987 Constitution put a term limit to our elective officials. The Senators cannot be elected beyond two consecutive terms. Because one term of a senator is good for six years, he is therefore not eligible for re-election after serving out 12 consecutive years. On the other hand, the limit for congressmen and other local government officials, except leaders in the barangays, is three consecutive terms. This means that after they have held their posts after nine years in a row, they are no longer allowed to run for a re-election.

What the constitution wants is that an elected leader must employ his best within his term limits to promote the interests of his constituents. A good congressman, for instance, knowing that he cannot be re-elected after serving 9 consecutive years, must envision and implement all the programs within that time frame. Even if indeed, he is able to demonstrate that he has an intellectual gift and an emotional aptitude for service, the term limit set forth in the constitution allows the people to choose another legislator to prove his worth.

We have two representative districts in our city. The congressmen here have served us since 1987. The term limits imposed by our fundamental law allowed Congressmen Raul del Mar and Antonio V. Cuenco to serve from 1987 to 1992, for their first term, 1992-1995 for their second term and 1995-1998 for their third term. Because they were not eligible beyond 1998, they asked their family members to run as their stand-ins. And we were compliant to their personal caprices such that with our votes to their families, they hurdled the constitutional barrier, albeit thru stooges. So, after their son and wife, respectively, did nothing in Congress, they have again become qualified to ask us to vote for them for another three terms starting 2001 up to 2010.

I write about these constitutional ideals because they are again put to a severe test. What Congressmen del Mar and Cuenco implied to tell us in 1998 was that even if the city had more than three hundred thousand voters, only their families had the monopoly of knowledge and that their love for our city was superior to anyone else's. This will apparently be repeated in 2010, in the north district. From what I have observed, Rep. del Mar, after serving us a total of 20 years, is bent in pushing another member of his family to be our representative again. Is it possible that his family has the monopoly of knowledge and the sole love for out people?

The constitution, in referring to political dynasties, has provided a remedy for people of this mentality. That's the second principle I mentioned above. But, unfortunately, it requires an enabling law. Maybe because that kind of law has to be crafted by the likes of Congressmen del Mar and Cuenco that explains why up to now it has not assumed form. Absent such statute, we just have to ask ourselves if we are ready to continue with this mockery. End.