The Future of Filipinos

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By Menelito Mansueto 

This current and intriguing scenario of Philippine politics demands very careful and in-depth scrutiny from the Filipino people and the Philippines’ general electorate. Sometimes, because of political ambitions and vested interests, any certain politician could suddenly lose his reason and go insane. This seems to be the case in Bongbong Marcos’ extraordinary rendition of former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte (FPRRD) to the ICC in the Netherlands. FPRRD, the same person who, as the former president of the Philippines, was previously endowed with the same presidential immunity that made him immune from any lawsuit. With the sudden turn of events, despite their previous alliance, and by virtue of being his predecessor as the president of the country, Bongbong Marcos did what seemed to be the very unlikely of all actions. PBBM is desperate to maintain the credibility that his political clan had lost after the series of attacks on the Duterte camps, they had the most thoughtless political acts Filipinos had seen since the PNoy administration’s thoughtless infrastructure projects such as having a toilet with two bowls, or the promise to be hit by the train if infrastructure projects won’t be completed. Indeed, projects were not completed and PNoy did not die in a train Compared to PRRD’s legacy, no doubt BBM is a disgusting comparison. He is now almost half of his term, yet his administration still has no significant achievements to boast. These glaring misadventures in Philippine politics lead us to thoughtful introspection as one nation.

Serious consideration is needed in terms of advocating a significant charter change. It might be good to point out two significant limitations of the current presidential system of the Philippine government. First, since the President of the Philippines has a fixed term limit of six years, hence, the politicking and electioneering practices are so high. As early as the first day after the oath-taking ceremony, the campaign of the next presidential aspirant could have immediately begun, in anticipation that after 6 years or within 6 years, the president would soon be replaced on certain terms. Hence, any president’s legacy will be replaced sooner by the next president’s incoming administration. This manifests a lack of the value of continuity in the implementation of good projects and policies. If the succeeding president happens to be from a rival party, the tendency is even to criticize his/her immediate predecessor. Secondly, any tested and potentially efficient leader who had been tested to be fit for a second term will automatically lose the chance to continue his leadership platform for the Filipino people. This change was the effect of the 20-year Martial Rule by Marcos Sr. which had left the country with some irreparable scars and damage. It affected the 1987 Constitution which is the current Constitution in effect. The problem with a charter change, however, is that it is strongly opposed to and highly politicized

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