Skip to main content

REAL TALK: The Liberal Party of the Philippines Can ONLY Become The Genuine Opposition Under A Genuine Parliamentary Constitution

PhilStar

It's difficult to talk with people who are still comfortable with what they already know, right? However, the term Dilawan need not be drowned in negativity, but it can be drowned in negativity if the brand gets marred in a popularity-based political system. The Philippines currently uses the presidential system. If we were in a parliamentary system right now--chances are Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr. wouldn't be prime minister due to the difficulty involved as explained in "How to Become Singapore's Prime Minister, Explained in 7 Steps". That means all candidates would need to do the following:

  1. Study and specialize
  2. Wait for the call
  3. Tea sessions and panels
  4. Take a test
  5. Perform well as an MP
  6. Win the trust of your peers
  7. Prepare for office
The Dilawans can call themselves the genuine opposition, march in their proud yellow t-shirts, and more. However, under a presidential system, there's no real opposition, and the platform of any party is often overshadowed by the leading candidate. For example, the presidential elections in the Philippines ended up with a Marcos Jr. vs. Atty. Maria Leonor "Leni" S. Gerona-Robredo personality-based election. The election might've as well taken place at an entertainment center. The presidency should be handed over to whoever wins in a one vs. one watch. Let's say that Marcos Jr. shoots more balls than Mrs. Robredo. It would be dumb to let Marcos Jr. win because he shot more balls. The same goes for letting Mrs. Robredo win because she simply shot more balls than Marcos Jr.

The Dilawans can have all the press conferences they want. They can rejoice in the acquittal of Atty. Leila De Lima. They can rejoice in Senator Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel in her pursuit of the Guo Hua Ping case. However, all of these don't really do any real checks and balances. It's because the presidential system is based on popularity, winner takes all types of elections. They can continue to glorify Mrs. Robredo for all they want. However, that's not really the best way to hold Marcos Jr. accountable. 

PARL

Take a look at the parliamentary system there in contrast to the Batasang Pambansa (National Assembly) by the late Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. I wrote why the claim that Marcos Sr. built a parliamentary Philippines was so wrong. Unfortunately, never mind that the late Benigno Simeon "Ninoy" A. Aquino Jr. and the late Salvador "Doy" Laurel both challenged the legitimacy of Marcos Sr. sitting in power. Marcos Sr. has never been formally elected as president or prime minister. As the Martial Law Museum gives its details that the first Marcos Administration was never a real parliamentary system. Even more, Aquino Jr. even named the painful truth that the Philippines had a parliamentary system without a parliament. Later on, Cesar Virata was nominated as prime minister. However, a true parliamentarian in the late Lee Kuan Yew called Virata as a non-starter for politics. LKY would know better than those who claim that the first Marcos Administration was under a parliamentary system.

In other words, under a real parliamentary system, the Dilawan politicians would be face to face against each other. With the parliamentary elections focused on parties over platforms--the Dilawan brand is under the Liberal Party of the Philippines (LPP). If Filipinos are impressed by the LPP--the party would get a vote. The focus would be the LPP--not any candidate they would have for prime minister. If the LPP fails to secure government seats but gets enough votes--they will secure the opposition seats. That means the LPP would be sitting on the right side. As the Opposition, the LPP will have its Opposition Leader, Deputy Opposition Leader, and their own set of ministers to counter the government ministers.

This would be the role of the Liberal Party if it were they are the Opposition in a parliamentary system:
The primary role of the Official Opposition, as well as other, smaller opposition parties and Independent Members, is to question government actions, to present alternatives to government positions, and to provide the option of an alternative government.

The opposition enjoys privileges and duties well established by tradition. The floor of the Legislative Chamber provides opposition MLAs with a key area in which to perform their role, which is to scrutinize the policies and actions of the government. Opportunities for the opposition to perform their unique role include Oral Question Period and the two major debates: the Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne and the budget. Debates on proposed legislation also give the opposition the chance to scrutinize the government and put forward amendments to bills. During the Estimates debates on proposed government expenditures (also known as the Committee of Supply), opposition Members will pose detailed questions on ministry spending plans for the upcoming fiscal year.

Opposition parties also work to communicate their views to British Columbians and to establish an identity as a possible alternative government. The opposition holds an important role in the Legislative Assembly and contributes to the effectiveness of British Columbia's parliamentary democracy by monitoring Cabinet and encouraging the government to act prudently and with accountability.

The source above comes from the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. That would be a legitimate parliamentary system. 

The Dilawans need to abandon the idea once and for all that, the Marcos Years were a real parliament. If only they saw how real parliamentary countries work--they would see the best. They would realize that for them to be in the Opposition (and that's as an entire party)-- they would need a genuine parliamentary system. That means when the LPP becomes the Opposition--it goes head-to-head against the incumbent government. For example, if PDP-Laban becomes the Government while LPP wins enough votes--the latter becomes the Opposition. LPP's role would be to question the government in person during the weekly question hour. The LPP would also provide alternatives for better governance.

What's LPP waiting for? Another miracle? Another leader like the late Benigno Simeon Aquino III? Another widow from their party? No, LPP needs to make the move now to say yes to a parliamentary Philippines, right now. 

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

What? The Aquinos Aren't Part of a Political Dynasty?!

  I was looking at the Mahal Ko Ang Pilipinas  (I Love the Philippines)  Facebook page, which made me laugh. This is what they wrote on their post saying that the Aquino Family isn't a political dynasty: THE AQUINO FAMILY IS NOT A POLITICAL DYNASTY 🇵🇭🎗 Pro-Duterte blogger Tio Moreno says that Bam Aquino is part of a political dynasty because the Aquino family is a political dynasty. But to me, this is not true. Why is it not true that the Aquino family is a political dynasty? 🤔 1. When Ninoy Aquino entered politics, none of his children joined him in his endeavors, and even his wife Cory did not join him in politics. 2. When Ninoy was assassinated in 1983, none of his children succeeded him in politics, not even his wife. But when the opposition and his supporters were looking to be the opposition's candidate for the presidency in the snap election called by Ferdie Marcos for 1986, his housewife Cory Cojuangco-Aquino was approached, encouraged or convinced by people t...
Read more

Recalling Amos Yee's Anti-LKY Rants As He Gets His UNSURPRISING Worst of the Worst Status in American Soil

PHOTO: US DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY   Who can remember Amos Yee, that brat who badmouthed the late Lee Kuan Yew? It's been 10 years and several months since LKY died on March 23, 2015. According to The Straits Times article written by Chinese Singaporean writer Daniel Lai, it should be interesting to note that he's the only Singaporean among the arrested. This is what Lai wrote about Amos, which should be  disturbing at several levels. The webpage states that Yee was convicted of enticement of a minor for indecent purposes, sexual exploitation of a minor via photograph and sexual exploitation of a minor via telecommunications . It added that he was arrested in Chicago, Illinois. The 27-year-old child sex offender is in the custody of ICE after he was released on parole on Nov 20. He is last known to have been detained at the Dodge Detention Facility in Wisconsin, a four-hour drive from Illinois, where he was serving a six-year jail term for child pornography and sexual ...
Read more

Shifting to the Parliamentary System is Better than Banning Political Dynasties

Some Filipinos who are totally against charter change (or constitutional reform) always use political dynasties as an excuse. It's not enough that some of them should keep saying that economic charter change will mean "selling the Philippines to foreigners". Please, if they realize it, developed countries allow 100% FDI ownership--allowing foreigners to own 100% of their business . Back on the topic, I would like to discuss political dynasties and why they're not necessarily bad . Some people keep talking about the anti-political dynasty law--that is one per family. It might be because they still think the first Marcos Administration was a parliamentary system. Please, evidence has been gathered that it was never a parliamentary system, to begin with (read here )!  It's easy to talk about political dynasties. Some people were citing President Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr. as a member of a political dynasty. Some people also cite the Dutertes. I even...
Read more

Facts vs. Gossip: Why Fat Acceptance Isn't as Cool as the Gossipers Say

Back in college, I recall having the idea of exercise being "too complicated". It doesn't have to sound complicated. I have my journey from 2013-2023 where I really lost much weight. After having a Mi-Band, I thought about how losing weight was something.  I ended up running into the video of this attractive blonde girl. I admit that I watched it partly because she's pretty. Then again, some videos with really ugly-looking people are entertaining when they have very good content. I watched the video and I could really laugh (and cringe) at the stupidity of the fat people in the video. Hearing them whine is really that annoying. The girl really talks about some sense in many of her videos. A lot of people are simply trying to become what they're not and try to defy the facts. It's just so stupid how fat acceptance people even shame people who are trying to lose weight. I've watched some weight loss stories and found out some of them had suffered a lot of he...
Read more

Double Ten Isn't Taiwan's Birthday

It's often a mistake for people to think that Double Ten is Taiwanese independence day. Actually, it was  December 7, 1949 , which was when Taipei became the capital of Taiwan. Instead, the real history of Double Ten can be  From the Taiwanese Community Center , we can read this interesting tidbit about Double Ten and why it still matters for Taiwan: So what is this holiday all about? October 10th is Taiwan National Day, but it is not Taiwan’s birthday.  Instead, it commemorates October 10, 1911, which was the start of an event called the Wuchang Uprising in China. This uprising led to the Xinhai Revolution which brought about the fall of the Qing (Ching) Dynasty, the end of the Chinese dynasties, and the founding of the Republic of China in 1912 .  At this time, Taiwan had been under the rule of the Empire of Japan since 1895, and i t was not until the end of World War Two in 1945 that Japan was forced to relinquish control of the island to the Republic of China . M...
Read more