Political dysfunction

IN previous columns, I have cited this present Constitution gaining forced observance by “vitiated consent” from the Filipino people. Circumstances akin to the 1973 Charter “ratified” under a shot-gun wedding with “effects of martial law suspended.” Yellow diehards argue that EDSA People Power provided no alternative for the Cory presidency but a revolutionary Government (rev-gov). I can only wave a finger with admonition to read history, e.g., Sergio Osmena Sr. returning to the ashes of a war-ravage country unmindful of mischievous political mindsets. Osmeña could have declared a rev-gov., martial law, emergency powers, appointed a chorus for Charter Change, etc. Instead he resurrected the 1935 Constitution and reconvened the interrupted Congress on June 9, 1945.

After 31 years under the Cory Constitution, with the martial law overstay and the climate of over-reaction post-EDSA, the country is spiraling with systemic anomalies and dysfunction. Most obvious, the introduction of the multi-party system (MPS) with sectoral party-lists, term limits, when there had previously been none, created the very monster it wanted to exorcise – a frenzied musical chairs of family names at the local level. The greatest harm of MPS was the deterioration of parties as a democratic ethos. We should have public servants organized under a standard, a commitment, pushing a program of values and backbone of principles, campaigning on a vision via platform of government, consensus building, ardently recruiting talented, outstanding, and brilliant candidates. The dysfunction is manifest in the quality of our politicians subjugated by compromised standards – popularity, huge war-chests, monetized voting, questionable techno results, and disruptive “media-tization” of our democracy, etc. Parties which celebrate ambition, self-interest, and power – a “Birthday Party.” Political butterflies, once limited to a few, discard yesterday’s colors, loyalty and allegiance mortgaged to every new party in power. Because of MPS, the Executive Department cast a larger figure, its shadow influencing political, budgetary, and the elective horizon, determining fates and fortunes of reduced predatory political animals.