President for life?

Does P-Noy really think he can save the Philippines from doomsday? He should have announced his intention for constitutional reforms a year after he became President. Why only now? His timing is pretty messed up. His latest announcement on a possible CHA-CHA clearly shows how desperate he is to keep his power and how far the Liberal Party will go to stay in power.

Filipino public leaders have a lot of work to do. First, they need to show the people that they are working for the country and not for themselves. They should show us improvement in the environment, in public services and in the character of a public official. P-Noy claims that he hears the voices of the people, telling him to stay in power. He said we the people want him to stay. Really? Did he hear whispers? Or is he hallucinating? Does he truly feel the pulse of the nation? Why does he say this when his approval and trust ratings have gone down. Sanamagan!

I was actually tagged as being part of the “yellow” crusade of P-Noy. I’m sorry to dissappoint you but I always support a new president. I feel I need to give every president a chance to prove himself especially since the Filipinos voted him into the position. I once had hope that this man would help us regain our vibrant spirit as a people but towards the latter part of his term, he failed me. I’m still hoping however that some miracle will happen but not a CHA-CHA miracle. The President’s intention is not clear to the people. We feel that his move for CHA-CHA or CON ASS is not a sincere one. Again, he did it at the wrong time, a time when many Filipinos are questioning his reform programs.

P-Noy is at a crossroad. He needs to take extra caution when he makes this final decision for the future of this country. He has consistently thumbed down any move to tinker with the Constitution. But now the palace spokesperson is saying he is “thinking” about it in light of “judicial overreach” and judicial reform.

Is it really the Supreme Court’s perceived “overreach” in declaring the principal provisions of DAP unconstitutional that caused the sudden change of heart? Shouldn’t the judiciary, under the principle of checks and balances, make sure that all acts of government follow the Constitution?

Personally, I find this hard to understand. The alleged judicial overreach was decided upon by the appointees of the president who also joined the 13-0 vote in the DAP case. To Juan de la Cruz, this only means the main provisions of the DAP are patently and unquestionably unconstitutional and the Supreme Court just did its constitutional duty to strike it down.

Some wise guy must have adviced the president to use this issue as an opportunity to give our “buwaya” legislators a better justification to dance the CHACHA in a constituent assembly without having to primarily deal with the usual criticism of self-interest in term extension. I can already hear the drama of certain legislators as they use their trapo lines “the people in my district are mad because they were deprived by an overreaching Supreme Court (of DAP and PDAF), this is not about term extension, I am only their representative, it is my sworn obligation to my constituents to dance the CHACHA now.” And the curtain rises, music maestro begin!

Do you remember the President saying this in his exclusive interview, “When I took this office, I recall that it was only one term of six years. Now after having said that, of course, I have to listen to my bosses.” He may be able to do this because the Constitution itself allows amendments through a constituent assembly and ratification by the people. Yet, it is the wisdom of doing it less than 2 years from the 2016 Presidential elections that is in issue here. In listening to the “boses ng mga boss” the warning in the full quotation from the letter of Alcuin to Charlemagne in the year 798 is that “the riotousness of the crowd is always very close to madness.” This early, the riotousness of the crowd is already manifested.

In our music-loving nation, nobody doubted the proclamation of Lyca as the Voice Kids Philippines champion. But seeking the true voice of the people by tinkering with the Constitution in the process will be very costly at this time, not only because COMELEC said it would need 7 billion pesos for charter change, but more significantly, the divisiveness of CHACHA will surely bring to naught whatever gains the present administration had so far achieved.

Amidst the usual charges of political self-interest, bribery and dictatorial tendencies, discordant tunes will fill the air. Some will sing Engelbert’s “Please Release me,” others will shout John Lloyd’s “One More Chance,” yet others will love to hear Abba’s “Money, Money, Money” or Travie and Bruno’s “Billionaire.” Then there is “Boom Panes” of Vice-Ganda. In the cacophony brought about by ulterior motives, our people may not be able to decide with utmost objectivity the best constitutional amendments for our children’s future. The best time to amend the fundamental law of the land is when our people could sing in perfect harmony Jose and Julian’s “Lupang Hinirang” or Ka Freddie’s “Bayan Ko,” without being distracted by the music of material considerations and political patronage. Obviously, now is not the time.

In the Philippines, Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” already cost several lives. Please do not do it your way, Mr. President. I know that you are racing against time but remember to tread softly for a single misstep can lead you to a point of no return. You should remain focus in your vision and must not be dissuade by any of your men’s crazy antics to keep you in office. It’s time for you to be true to your word that you listen to your ‘bosses.’

We have witnessed unprecedented things particularly in your campaign against corruption and you can do more in the last one and a half years without the distractions of charter change. Yours is not yet a lost battle. So, stay cool and calm. This is not the time for you to pull punches left and right and look like a chicken with no head. Keep the dignity of your position. You have done your part, let your “friend” or whoever your bosses elect do the rest. Do not be too possessive of your position. You cannot be our president for life. As Elsa in the popular Disney movie, Frozen put it: “Let it go, let it go.” Mr. President, for the legacy of your parents…Let it go.