2010 Philippine Elections: Important issues, 1

Janette Toral posted a call for a discussion of issues relevant to the 2010 Philippine presidential elections, tagging a lot of bloggers in the process.

Instead of one post, I will make a series of post about this topic, and it will be an issue or two per post, hopefully. For every post, I will state an issue, explain why it should be an issue, and share my thoughts on the issue.

For this post, I will be tackling two issues of the near term: personality-vs-issue oriented elections, and the possibility of NO-EL or a shift to a parliamentary system.

If I was a pessimist (to a degree, I am), I would have retorted that elections and issues are like oil and water – in the Philippine context, they don’t mix. Since the time of Magsaysay, our national politics tended to be personality-oriented instead of issue-oriented. And with the 1987 Constitution instituting a multi-party system, the incentive for parties to campaign on issues was lost. I guess the main issue that all of us must agree on is that to make the 2010 elections issue-oriented instead of personality-oriented. This will be a tough act: the system is stacked against the idea of an issue-driven election.

Why is this an issue? Simple. We keep on complaining on the way our candidates campaign. We keep on asking for their ideas, their platforms. Yet they continue on ignoring such calls. Why? Because majority of the people prefer to be entertained than to be informed and enlightened.

Yeah, I know, it can be circular. But that is the nature of the beast. What can we do about this situation? We must engage our politicians in a discussion of issues. We pick on their brains, ask them pointed questions, seek out their opinions on issues. We must have a platform wherein a candidate and voters can interact: voters can post questions about issues and advocacies; candidates can answer queries, share their views and plans, and solicit support. Blogging is one such platform, though several caveats. One, majority of Filipinos do not have direct access to the Internet. People who rent by the hour tends to do personal tasks online (like visit a social network site, communicate with friends or relatives, or play online games). Two, most politicians are not really tech savvy as bloggers would want them to be. Then again, the platform is there, and it is up to the people (that includes you, dear reader) to use it.

Of course, the most immediate issue that needs to be addressed: Charter Change, the Arroyo bogey that surfaces every year.

The 2007 elections were bittersweet. The administration won handily in the local elections but lost the Senate. The rationale for a Charter change is nebulous. The cover was supposed to be a shift to a parliamentary system, the current system being bad (a subtle dig against the incumbent?). The real reason, as most people are wont of saying, is to have a good end-scenario for Gloria Arroyo. The 2006 experience was a bitter defeat for Jose de Venecia and his allies: they wanted to change the Constitution via Constituent Assembly, but they face an opposition Senate, and a threat from the Roman Catholic church forced JDV and his allies to retreat.

Also, a people’s initiative track was taken, by Sigaw ng Bayan, but it was strucked down by the Supreme Court in Lambino v. Comelec.

So it was imperative for the administration to win the Senate last year, if it wanted the Constituent Assembly mode of Charter Change. Alas, it lost the Senate. Or has it?

Taking into consideration the fact that Gloria Arroyo is looking at 2010, and it is not good. She can be assured that once she loses her immunity, she will face criminal cases left and right. Slowly fading into the night is not an option for her.

That is why I keep on attaching a caveat anytime I talk about 2010: if there will be an election. I find it highly amusing that many are actually looking forward to 2010. For some people, it will be a welcome change after nine years of Arroyo. But will there be change come 2010?

Why is this an issue? Why talk about 2010 if we do not pay attention and let the Congress rob us of a national elections? It is simple as that.

The short-term outlook is that Cha-cha is close to impossible at this point, and Arroyo has no choice but to step down in 2010, barring any extra-constitutional reasons to stay on. I repeat: barring any extra-constitutional reasons to stay on. Never discount the impossible, as a desperate person resorts to desperate measures. So it is important for us to again keep watch, and stop any efforts to ditch a national elections come 2010.

Unless that is what you want, of course.

Up next: Electoral reforms. And do watch Man of the Year for context. Join the discussion: make a blog post about issues that you think should matter in the 2010 elections, or leave a comment expressing your views on the matter.

And don’t forget to vote in my poll, in case you haven’t voted yet.

9 thoughts on “2010 Philippine Elections: Important issues, 1

  1. Pingback: Election » Blog Archive » 2010 Philippine Elections: Important issues, 1

  2. Hi Arbet. Thank you for the insight sharing. You and MLQ3 are clear examples as to why election and political blogging is important.

    For government moves to stay in power beyond 2010, that indeed is still a possibility. In order to make it happen shall perhaps require a self-initiated chaos to force such a decision to happen. With that, monitoring the protective defenders of our country shall be imperative? This angle, I can’t help, to be reminded of what Sen. Trillianes have been warning us all this time.

    Janette Toral’s last blog post..My FAQ on Election Blogging in the Philippines

  3. Hi, Mam Janette. Thanks.

    As for your question: of course it is a possibility, a remote one, at best, but a possibility still. If it happens, then Trillanes would be correct, and I wonder what Trillanes bashers would have to say. If that happens.

    What can we do? Be aware, and be vocal.

  4. I don’t it very much if the illegal occupant would allow elections. She can do anything until the last minute of her tenure. I have often written about this and I am sure that stepping down is the least of her concerns as she has no intention to.

    As for the president-iables, I thought Roxas would be a good candidate. I doubt that now. None of the above. Now if only we can convince Randy David, then maybe we have a fighting chance. Of course it all depends on Gloria if we will have elections.

    I doubt if anyone would face up to her as it seems that the Filipinos have lost their balls.

    Schumey’s last blog post..PUBLIC SERVICE

  5. Pingback: Atheista » Blog Archive » Important Issues For the 2010 National Elections

  6. Most of our politicians tackle important issues during campaigns but they forget these things when elected. Filipinos should do something to influence these politicians to do what they are task to do..to serve the filipino people…

    Issues on charter change. Speaker Joe de V. was ousted because he was a treat to the current President if charter change will be pushed through.

  7. HOW, REALLY, DID MANUEL BAMBA VILLAR, JR. GET TO BE RICH? It may bear and serve the Filipino nation well to investigate and know that Manny Villar may actually have broken through Tondo-ragged accountancy to billionaire-rich presidentiable by allowing himself to be used as a foreign investor’s dummy in the Philippine real estate business. You see, the conduct of real estate business in the Philippines is made exclusive by law to Filipino citizens, necessarily because it involves business affairs affecting matters of territory, patrimony, and national security. Wasn’t that a debonair American who was smilingly visible every day at the offices of Crown Asia, Inc., way back before the Villars became politically ambitious? Unfortunately, sighting an American presence at Crown Asia, Inc. deteriorates to zero visibility in hot election weather, especially nowadays! As Manny Villar embarked on a political career, it naturally became strategically imperative to avoid flaks of damaging controversy about being economically beholden to foreign influence, especially from nationalist camps of the likes of then Senator Teofisto Guingona Jr. who was one among those instrumental in passing the general law limiting the conduct of real estate business in the Philippines to Filipinos only. In fact, the last times the bespactacled, middle-aged happy American investor (silent or express?) of Crown Asia, Inc. was regularly observed at the 18th Floor of Cityland Herrera Tower was from 1997 to 1999. Most of us do have “humble,” sometimes “rotten,” beginnings; yet being transparent about such beginnings can do more good than harm. Perhaps good Senator Manuel Villar may want to comment on this at this time?

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