CPGI # 2

Critique Paper on Governance Issues SS-015 (Politics, Governance and 1987 Philippine Constitution) 2nd Term SY 2011-2012

Montenegro, Maria Kristine A.

A75

Oct. 15, 2011

It ain t broke, we are

Inquirer, October 3, 2011
(http://opinion.inquirer.net/13277/it-ain%E2%80%99t-broke-we-are)

By: Conrado de Quiros

ARTICLE SUMMARY:
The House of Representatives and the Senate have agreed to revive Charter Change through a bicameral constituent assembly. The article confers about Cha-cha and the proponents of this today say that there s no danger in Charter change being carried out. They say that all reason for the efforts to change the Charter during Gloria Macapagal Arroyo s time is different with the one going on today. Mr. de Quiros thinks that there may be no eminent danger to it but there s no reputed need for it either. The Charter change is conferred towards economic provisions that they deem as inimical to progress and prosperity. Mr. de Quiros cited some things that officials and businessmen wanted. One of which is to remove the constitutional ban or raise the limit on foreigners owning the majority share of businesses in this country. One argument on this is that if we have been allowing and encouraging Filipinos to work abroad, why can t we do the same here in our own country by letting foreigners to completely own a company in the Philippines. Another thing is to remove the constitutional ban on foreigners owning a land in the country. With regards to these issues, Mr. de Quiros thinks that the public should be brought into the picture and not just the senators and congressmen. Moreover, according to the writer, preventing the senators and congressmen from going beyond economic concerns to looking at the Constitution as a whole with a Cha-cha is like preventing the waters from bursting through a crack in the dam. This brings us to why we should change, or amend, the Constitution in the first place. Another argument is shifting from presidential system to parliamentary system with a unicameral Parliamentary instead of a bicameral Congress with a Prime Minister voted by the party in power rather than at large. The writer also thinks that it presumably will have the effect of producing better leaders since the prime minister need not lie at the mercy of the rabble, also called the voters, who like to vote only for movie stars or entertainers. For the writer, every change has its plus and minuses. One system is not naturally better than the other one. The system just reflects the way the people in the government operates or works. The problem does not lie in our Constitution for it is just another law that albeit the fundamental law of our

SS-015 (Politics, Governance and 1987 Philippine Constitution)

CPGI # 2
Critique Paper on Governance Issues SS-015 (Politics, Governance and 1987 Philippine Constitution) 2nd Term SY 2011-2012 country. The writer also cited some baloney things about how we allow twisted things to happen like allowing the rich and powerful to get away with murder and no amount of extolling equality will make us more egalitarian. Furthermore, the writer believes in the saying where there s a will, there s a way; where there s no will there s just an excuse. Since it can be simply proven by the fact that foreigners have always skirted the prohibition on them owning the better part of businesses by having Filipino dummies, which are not always such dummies, to hold their money and make the investments for them. For him, the Charter ain t broke, we are. It s we who need fixing.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE ARTICLE:

It ain t broke, we are. These are the words used by the writer to describe his view of our current political system. From the title itself, I can say that the writer is not in favor of changing the current system or with Charter change (Cha-cha). He thinks that parliamentary system of government is just like presidential system. No system of governance is better than the other. Charter Change, "Cha-Cha", refers to the political and additional associated processes concerned in amending or revising the existing 1987 Constitution of the Philippines. The Philippine Constitution can be amended through people s initiative, constituent assembly, and constitutional convention. All of the three methods will then be subject to the permission of the majority of the Filipino registered voters. Charter change is not a new issue. It has been present in every administration that we had, what differs is the objective of proposed amendments. A more unyielding effort to change the Philippine Constitution was continued under the government of President Arroyo since it was included in her platform during the 2004 Presidential election. Former President Estrada also launched an attempt to amend the constitution through restrictive economic provisions of the constitution. And the prime Charter Change effort on the 1987 Constitution was under President Ramos. Among the projected changes in the constitution included a shift to a parliamentary system and the bracing of period limits of public officials. As for the charger change being discussed on the article was said to be focused on the economic concerns. Focusing on the economic concerns of our dear Philippines, we may have slow moving; sluggish; deadlock prone system to adapt to the challenges of today's fast moving world. But for our country to be economically competitive; we need to be responsive, adaptive, efficient; swift to exploit

SS-015 (Politics, Governance and 1987 Philippine Constitution)

CPGI # 2
Critique Paper on Governance Issues SS-015 (Politics, Governance and 1987 Philippine Constitution) 2nd Term SY 2011-2012 opportunities and fast enough to solve problems. I applaud to the foreigners who are making their ways to put into work whatever plans they have like putting up a business in our country and using Filipino companies as dummies and yet control the over-all operation of the newly formed companies. The constitution has not prohibited the government to open wide the Philippine economy to foreign investors and to all the whims and caprices of foreign business. In fact, the past administrations congressmen and legislators have passed numerous laws which are in favor of the demands of foreign investors and businesses. Good governance is the key, and not Cha-cha. Maybe what we need to do is to think thoroughly when we are voting for the leaders of our country. This is very critical because what lie in their hands is our future and the future of the next generations to come. Politics is not just a popularity contest where we, Filipinos, vote for the celebrities even though they know nothing about governance and the like. Another thing that our lawmakers should focus to is the improvement of our Bill of Rights. From here, I don t see a need for a Charter change for now. But sooner or later the need for it will doubtless come. The change that we need is not just around the corner, it is already knocking at our doors. The reasons cited by the writer in his article are, I think, reasonable, ergo I agree with him. However, I am not closing my mind for the idea of having a parliamentary system of government in the future or any kind of changes in the political system of our country. For the mean time, I don t think there a need for such.

SS-015 (Politics, Governance and 1987 Philippine Constitution)