After getting what she wants–VAT and other bills–the President is now looking forward to a charter change (cha-cha).
“Next year, when Congress opens, I plan to propose the holding of a constitutional convention where we will propose to change the form of government to a parliamentary system and the transition to a federal form of government,” Arroyo was quoted by abs-cbnNEWS.com as saying.
Will she achieve what Ramos and Estrada didn’t?
Arroyo’s pronouncement should alarm the nationalists. With Arroyo and her environment secretary’s known affection for the mining industry and their obvious desire to please foreigners, one day we might just wake up with foreigners owning whole mining companies, or even media and communication organizations.
Human-rights advocates must be wary. With the Arroyo administration’s record of human rights violation surpassing even that of Marcos’, a term extention for her would be a nightmare. But the President would of course say that she’s not interested in staying beyond 2010. She’d say that even if she wants us to shift to a parliamentary form of government, she’s not salivating over the post of prime minister. But we should remember that she lied to us in 2002 when she said she wouldn’t run for reelection.
4 replies on “Gloria Now Wants To Cha-Cha”
What difference will the parliamentary system make if the government and the people are still the same?
I personally prefer a quasi-parliamentary system like that of the French, where terms are fixed. If cha-cha is looming, let them lay down the exact changes they want in a pact or covenant signed with the people of the civil society. All the commitment should be laid out and the particular provisions they want to change. Any deviation or violation of the same should be punishable by provisions which had been laid out in the same pact by the public.
Fear of change can be a bad, bad thing; but so can lack of vigilance. With such a pact, one satisfies the interests of both parties while protecting the interests of the public.
Thanks for the comments, Arydythe and Jardine Davies.
Jardine’s suggestion is great though I don’t think such an arrangement materialize. We know how shrewd are the people behind the cha-cha moves.
I think it is about time … time for what.. you asked?
Let us just watch and see …