The Senate must represent people’s interests

The Philippines is in the midst of a serious economic crisis. There is no prospect for any quick economic recovery any time soon.

Our most serious economic problems that affect the daily lives of the average Filipino is serious inflation, rising prices of fuel and electricity, rotating blackouts, water supply interruptions, a health care system that could lead to bankruptcy even for middle class families in case of serious medical illnesses.

These are times when national leadership to address these issues is sorely needed. It is the executive branch and the Senate that are regarded as the institutions that will address these national problems.

Senators are expected to represent national interests rather than local political concerns. This is supposedly one of the reasons why senators are elected nationwide. This system was intended to produce leaders with broad policy perspectives and strong national vision.

The Philippine Senate was supposedly created to protect democracy and to ensure that laws are carefully studied and debated before implementation. There was a time when the Senate played a major role in national governance. However, in recent years, this original purpose of the Senate seems to have been woefully neglected. This has led to many Filipinos believing that the institution no longer serves its original purpose.

If one listens to the daily news programs and interview shows, the Senate is more obsessed with power struggles and the senators seem to be more focused on posturing before the media.

This has led me to believe that it is time to seriously review if there is still a need for a Senate or at least it is time to restructure and reform the idea of the institution that we call the Philippine Senate.

One of the biggest problems in the Senate is the dominance of political dynasties and celebrities. Elections in this country often prioritize popularity and name recall, instead of qualifications and competence. In this milieu, actors, broadcasters and scions of political family dynasties have a marked advantage during elections. This creates a political culture where entertainment and charisma become more important than policy making and public service. It is sad to note that even serious politicians feel obligated to exhibit popular dance moves in public or in front of media cameras.

It is no wonder many, if not most, senators are not qualified to engage in intelligent debates. Several Senate committees are chaired by senators who obviously have no competence in that particular area. It is no wonder that one senator’s answer to the education crisis in the Philippines is to abolish senior high school. This proposal will make the Philippines one of the rare countries with only 10 years of basic education.

Another structural problem of the Senate is unequal representation. Senators are elected nationwide, which means candidates often focus on urban centers where media exposure is strongest. Rural communities and relatively remote provinces do not receive enough attention in national policy making. As a result, many local concerns that require national attention remain unresolved.

For example, the issue of heavy traffic in Metro Manila has become a national issue while the lack of transportation in provincial areas remains unattended. The issue of water interruption in Metro Manila and surrounding areas is portrayed as national crises while the lack of irrigation that plagues the livelihood of our local workers and farmers do not merit Senate investigations.

If we are to retain the Senate as an institution, these basic structural weaknesses need to be drastically reformed. The Philippine Senate is unique in the world because senators are elected nationwide. In contrast, many countries in the world use regional representation. In the United States, every state elects two senators. In Australia, senators represent states through proportional voting. Germany uses a federal council system where state governments directly send representatives. There are countries which combine a federal and parliamentary system, like France and where there is no equivalent of a Senate.

It is time to seriously consider electing senators on a regional basis. This would ensure that provinces and marginalized communities receive fairer representation in national policy making. This would also ensure that senatorial campaigns will be less expensive.

Campaign finance reform is also necessary. Elections in the Philippines are extremely expensive, making politics inaccessible to ordinary citizens. Limiting campaign expenditures and strengthening anti-family dynasty laws could improve fairness in elections.

The Senate was considered an essential institution because it was supposed to provide check and balance in the government vis a vis the executive branch. Without a functioning Senate, executive powers may become too strong.

Unfortunately, the events of the past year have proven that most of our senators are more interested in power games rather than engaging in intelligent debates in order to produce solutions to our national problems.

Senators seem to have forgotten that leadership is not about power, but it is about responsibility. Mahatma Ghandi once said: “A nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members.”

If the Senate fails to reform itself, then the people must decide whether this institution is worthy of continuing to exist. The Senate as an institution must reflect on the real needs of the people, rather than the interests of a few powerful individuals and interest groups.

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