Possible Constitutional Amendments
The 55-member Constitutional Commission created by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo submitted its report on 15 December 2005. One of the controversial provisions of the report was the “no- election” provision in 2007. It stipulates that terms of office for all local and national officials shall be extended, with elections to take place in 2010, to save massive state resources and to move towards synchronizing elections. The report was met with some apprehension.
Not all members of the Consultative Commission, however, agree with changing the form of government and canceling the May 2007 elections. Commissioners Anthony Acevedo, Rene Azurin, Donald Dee, Gerardo Espina, Jose Leviste, Jr., James Marty Lim, and Jose Villanueva prepared a minority report which argues that a parliamentary system is no better than a presidential system due to the following reasons:
- The parliamentary system concentrates power (especially in the hands of politicians) instead of dispersing it; institutionalizes ‘pork barrel’ politics upon the fusion of executive and legislative powers; and enshrines ‘horse trading’ and ‘transactional decision-making’ as a way of governance between the President and congressmen.
- It is not true that ‘legislative gridlock’ held back the country’s economic progress but protectionist economic policies, peace and order problems, and too much regulation and bureaucracy. There is no established connection between form of government and economic performance.
Aside from the minority group’s report, 19 Con-Com members voted specifically against the cancellation of the May 2007 election while 22 members supported the proposal. They believe the people would reject it because it might be perceived as a bribery for elective officials whose terms of office would be extended. The group also emphasized that the Constitution bars persons making revisions to the Charter from enjoying benefits created by their revisions.
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