It's the system Guadalajara, Guadalupe, Cebu City

We have been changing leaders from the presidency, down to the members of congress and of the cabinet, governors and mayors, and to the barangay chiefs, in the hope to find solutions to the problems besetting the country since time immemorial.

We kicked out Marcos for reason of corruption, but corruption did not only refuse to leave with the dictator, but we have upgraded and even glamorized it. Hence the unimaginable pork barrel and other scams.

Now, with 18 months to election day, we are once again, sorting out and debating on who would be the next person to occupy Malacañang, as if changing people at the helm of government is the solution.

We never learn. It is the system, not the people. Unless we go Federalism we will never see the light at the end of the tunnel. The present system which is conducive to corruption and abuse, and only exploited by those in power, have done more harm to the ever-impoverished  Pinoys than bailing them out from utmost poverty and deprivation. 

Federal is the only form of government that suits well the Filipino culture.  It says here that "under the present unitary system, practically, all powers are vested in a highly centralized government. The concentration of power at the top inevitably results in political and economic imbalance and injustice. It is the reason why many regions in the Philippines remain poor and underdeveloped. Poverty in turn spawn widespread criminality, rebellion and even secession attempts."

True enough, the 2016 presidential election is not the answer, whoever sits in Malacañang Yes, it is not the people, but the system, as proven by what happened to our country and what is happening now in our midst.

Forfeit all Marcoses'  ill-gotten wealth

Marie Hilao-Enriquez

Chairperson, SELDA Philippines

Any move by the Marcos family to claim both the pieces of valuable jewelry, paintings and other properties "acquired" by them should be exposed and opposed. SELDA, an organization who won a favorable judgment in Hawaii against the Estate of Ferdinand Marcos for crimes against humanity, today, asserts that the Aquino government must forfeit all Marcoses' ill-gotten wealth.

The "political will" of the Aquino government is now at stake in the pursuit of the forfeiture of the Marcos family's ill-gotten wealth. This signals Aquino's seriousness in holding the Marcoses accountable for the plunder and exacerbation of the impoverished sectors especially the farmers.

Any amount or proceeds from the government's auctions or sales of the jewelry amassed by Imelda during martial law, including the paintings should be truly allocated for land reform and support services for the agricultural needs of the farmers. However, we warn the Aquino government not to squander the recovered fund for pork barrel purposes to the detriment of legitimate and deserving farmers who could have benefitted from the funds a long time ago had these been not plundered by the conjugal dictatorship.

Earlier, the Marcoses tried to block PCGG's move claiming the jewels were not covered by the Civil Case No.0141 which was filed in 1987.