Why we need Charter changes.But!

For our special presentation on our talkshow on Straight from the Sky tonight, we bring you one very controversial subject that is still raging today… it is about the Land Transportation Office’s (LTO) new law that mandates all motorcyclists to use only certified safety helmets that pass US and European helmet standards. In the US, most helmets carry a DOT tag at the back of the helmet. The problem is, even those “Made in China” helmets have a DOT tag even if the helmets do not meet any standards at all.

Almost a week ago, I wrote an entire column on why we should use helmets. Few people realize that the moment you ride on you motorcycle, your life depends upon your ability to carefully maneuver your motorcycle. If you looked at how little is the footprint of a motorcycle tire, as compared to four tire footprints of a car, then you will realize that a motorcycle is not really that stable, especially when you ride over wet surface, a muddy one or worse, an oil spill.

The issue at hand is why are helmets that meet internationally certified safety standards are now being implemented? Too many bikers insist that because of their poverty, they could ill-afford a regular helmet. This is why you see motorists wearing anything that resembles a helmet, even an “urinola”. Yes, Virginia… a soldier’s helmet is not a crash helmet. It can dodge a bullet, but it will break your skull if you fall from your motorcycle. Little do people understand that today… a head injury that requires a brain operation costs more than your average motorcycle. So if you know what is good for you, it is better for you to invest in safety helmet… than spend on a brain surgery.

With us tonight is Land Transportation Office (LTO)-7 Director Raul Aguilos and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-7 Director Aster Caberte who will explain to us who these two government agencies cooperate with one another to advocate and promote the use of safety helmets. I learned that it is the DTI that issues those stickers to ensure that they pass the safety standards. So watch this very educational show on SkyCable’s channel 15 at 8:00 p.m. and replay on MyTV channel 28 at 7:00 a.m. the following day.

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I have heard all the many reasons from people opposed to Charter changes…but the excuse presented by Pres. Benigno “PNoy” Aquino, III takes the cake… when he said, “Changing the Constitution changes the rules of the game, which might only delay the progress.” First of all, if the Philippines is enjoying a brisk economic stability, it is due to the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) who never stopped sending money back to their families from whichever foreign land they are working.

Among the nations of the world, only the people of Mexico, many of whom work in the United States, send back money to their families in huge dollar amounts and the Philippines I think is number two. Euro zone nations like Spain, Portugal or Greece could only sigh with envy at the billions that our OFW sends back home. Perhaps the only Euro nation, which does that, is Ireland. So our economic progress would still continue even if we change our charter… but then the President is stubbornly against cha-cha.

I have always believed that PNoy doesn’t want to change the 1987 Constitution because it bears the name of his mother. If you ask me… this is the most selfish of reasons why we should not amend or change our Charter. This is the problem when we have a constitution named after a person. In England or the United States, their constitution is not named after any monarch or president.

As many of my readers have known… I have been against the 1987 Charter since its ratification simply because it is a Charter having a “Martial Law Hangover” as the late Sir Max Soliven used to write when he was alive. One such ‘hangover” is our having elections every three years instead of four years. That means politicians spend more time thinking of how to get reelected rather than work for the benefit of their constituents.

Then there’s always the issue of the use of the hated Pork Barrel, which in my book… is the greatest source of corruption simply because if is the people’s money that is held by politicians who can do whatever they want to do with this money without any transparency. The Commission on Audit (COA) cannot even look into a Congressman or Senator’s expenditures.

If only there was a charter change, I would ask to abolish the Commission on Elections (Comelec) because its head is appointed by the president who more often than not is the head of their political party. So if the Comelec is beholden to the appointing power… then it is biased against the opposition. These changes are necessary… but only if we have cha-cha.

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