Need for a parliament

The Philippine presidential system, after 65 years of use, has failed us. The two-party system before the adoption of the 1987 Constitution was able to attract competent leaders. With the multi-party system under the 1987 Constitution, elections have degenerated into popularity contests participated only by the very wealthy.

We must now seriously and urgently establish a form of government that will gather the best minds from the broadest base of our people. This is attainable if we change into the parliamentary system.

There are seven logical and urgent reasons for the change:

1. Fusion of the executive and legislative. Instead of maintaining two sets of very expensive bureaucracies for lawmaking and law enforcement, we will have a parliament to do both tasks—economically, simply and less confrontationally.

2. Senate-House merger. Instead of having two competing legislative bodies—the Senate and the House of Representatives which are often caught in gridlock and jealousy—we will have only one, the parliament which will make for faster, more economical and less confrontational lawmaking.

3. Greater public accountability. Instead of fixed terms for president, vice president, senators and congressmen (which practically guarantee untouchability and immunity of erring officials), crooked elective officials can be ousted with a simple majority vote of the parliament, and their replacements installed without need of special elections.

4. Stronger political parties. Instead of empty shibboleths and pseudo political parties, real political parties will have clear programs of government from where people can make intelligent choices. We can have continuity of good government programs without emotional and often violent demonstrations.

5. Parliamentary system attracts competent leaders. Instead of electing only popular and rich candidates, we can harness the best qualified from the broadest base of our people. Many poor but qualified candidates will be emboldened to run for public office since elections will become less expensive with political party support.

6. Fewer, less divisive, less violent and less expensive elections. Instead of being expensive, often violent and divisive,  elections can all be synchronized for economy and they will be cleaner and more peaceful.

7. Parliamentary system preferred worldwide. In this age of information revolution and global competitive challenges, 114 countries worldwide are successfully using the parliamentary system. This should be an encouragement for our Congress to transform the government into a parliament in form.

—FRUCTUOSO SUZARA,

executive director, Social Policy Advocacy