But it seems to me questionable whether any government has the right to demand loyalty from its citizens beyond its willingness or ability to render actual protection.
-Quezon To MacArthur, January 28, 1942
For once, I agree absolutely with Bong Montesa: never play the game of chicken. If this recent Inquirer editorial pointed out the administration has so botched up the peace process and is zigzagging so clumsily today, as to make the restoration of peace so much more difficult, the subsequent Inquirer editorial,suggests the MILF finds itself in a bind, because of the hostilities that have erupted and for which it took credit. Pointing to August 22 news item MILF Chair Al Haj Murad raise points in meeting IMT and the from Luawaran.com,’ the editorial suggested that the MILF (or the faction of its leadership that wanted to achieve its political aims through negotiations) was trying to invoke the assistance of its Malaysian sponsors. See –MILF asks Malaysia to convene peace panel – INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos
Davao City councilor Peter Lavina in his bog, suggests that the Malaysian government officially speaking, is supportive. But the political reality in Malaysia is that the government is in its own version of survival mode. Lip service and a little diplomatic nudging here and there is all very good, but in determining the cost-effectiveness of using a nation’s resources (diplomacy, economics, military, etc.) there is little going for Malaysia if it publicly supports armed rebellion on the part of the MILF.
Militarily, even, the dilemma is there. If you assume, as some do, that the MILF possesses SAM’s in its inventory, it cannot use them now, or even later. For to do so would provide proof of foreign funding or at least facilitation/support; and regionally speaking, Malaysia as the likely culprit would trigger unease in Indonesia and alarm countries like Thailand (both being firm U.S. allies) which is fighting its own Muslim secessionists.
And so it seems the last-ditch appeal, perhaps by the more moderate among the MILF’s leadership, is for the Malaysians to give a sign that they continue to enjoy that country’s confidence and backing, in an effort to convince the other foreign powers to head off full-blown hostilities. Again, here is a confluence of interests: the Americans wouldn’t be too keen on hostilities because as the primary funder of our armed forces it would have to foot the bill and this includes what the Americans know all too well includes lining generals’ pockets (see Who Profits From The War in Mindanao? | Filipino Voices). It wouldn’t even really help the American arms industry. Not much money to be gained with out Korea and Vietnam War-era weaponry.Add to this the possibility that SouthEast Asia, including the Philippines, exists in a kind of policy limbo vis-a-vis Washington: In Asia » Blog Archive » Asian Policy Challenges for the Next President.
But that doesn’t mean that these nations could prevent a shooting war, either.
So when the MILF announced, on August 21, it would hold a press conference on August 23, I had deep misgivings. What would they say? After their former brio, they’d been complaining that AFP uses excessive force in attack pulverizing Muslim communities, which ignores who started the fighting or the absurdity of expecting the AFP not to send in the PAF.
Though they did have a point in saying MILF: CAFGUs, CVOs, plus Pinol, et al=Ilagas which the PNP, for one, validated by the tactic of arming civilian militias (see PNP sending shotguns to Mindanao auxiliaries – INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos). The news of state-armed militias is indeed troubling; it is a sign of weakness and does not address the sort of insecurities that led to this: see Iligan City Hall Sights « preMEDitated.
Where did this insecurity come from? On one part, the public being unsure of what, really, the administration’s game plan was concerning Mindanao (in a nutshell: An irresponsible response « Mon Casiple’s Weblog on Philippine Politics). Second, the Palace having to respond to public hostility to its peace plan, and that response being at best, a confusing combination of bluster and appeasement. ALthough RG Cruz puts forward the Palace line of a STRATEGY CHANGE | RG CRUZ which suggests some sort of rhyme or reason, crude zigzaging seems a more appropriate description: Malacañang Backtracks on BJE MoA Even As Supreme Court Set to Rule on Constitutionality » The Warrior Lawyer | Philippine Lawyer.
Third, uncertainty concerning traditional allies such as the United States (see US silent on MILF terrorism « Peter Laviña New Blog) and Fourth, the possibility that the armed forces intervened by mounting operations even when the President hadn’t quite made up her mind on that to do. In his blog, thenutbox actually suggests the President announced offensive operations to retroactively rubberstamp the armed forces’ decision to begin them, regardless of the President’s position on the matter:
What my uncle told me was that Mrs. Arroyo actually ordered the attacks against MILF after the generals have already decided to launch the AFP offensive.
Arroyo’s inability to control her temper, his hypothesis went on, is actually borne out of her fright of the generals’ deciding by themselves without consulting her. She made a complete turn-around in his policy towards the MILF to appease the generals who were clearly pissed off with the BJE deal she made with the rebel group. And she wanted to appease the generals as soon as possible, hence her uncontrolled emotions for the delay of the taping.
At first I dismissed this as another conspiracy theory from a Gloria-hater. But veteran journalist Ellen Tordessillias, in a reply to a comment I posted on her blog, confirmed that, indeed, the anti-MILF mopping operations were actually carried out before the Bitch ordered them.
Note that Tordesilla’s military sources are excellent. I’d also heard on my own from a retired senior officer that Camp Aguinaldo had leaked the RP-MILF agreement to the media in the first place, and when I asked the retired officer if the agreement had the sanction of the AFP, the retired officer had emphatically shaken his head and said, “no, the AFP will fight!”
Note that Tordesilla’s military sources are excellent. I’d also heard on my own from a retired senior officer that Camp Aguinaldo had leaked the RP-MILF agreement to the media in the first place, and when I asked the retired officer if the agreement had the sanction of the AFP, the retired officer had emphatically shaken his head and said, “no, the AFP will fight!”
Put another way (see Philippine Politics 04: Arroyo needs to defend and explain the MOA-AD) if the President really did see the deal as an opportunity to display statesmanship, her statesmanlike resolve dissolved quite quickly, indeed. And Fifth, I’d say, a kind of latent nationalism everyone in official circles had assumed wasn’t there anymore (see This is what will happen to the Philippines after signing the GRP – MILF Memorandum of Agreement : OTWOMD | Bluepanjeet.Net)
The President hasn’t given supporters of the peace deal any chance to save themselves or the cause of peace. Which, sad to say, has been the repeated experience of those who still suffer from the delusion that they can achieve their idealistic goals by means of a pragmatic alliance with the President.
So if there are defenders, still, of the MOA: MOA-AD a path to peace, says Archbishop Quevedo « SCRIPTORIUM and refer to Red’s Herring: SC review imperils Mindanao peace process; then see The Palace’s High Cost of Learning | ralphguzman.org.
And refer to GOING IN CIRCLES « THE MOUNT BALATUCAN MONITOR and PUSONG MAMON « THE MOUNT BALATUCAN MONITOR to get a glimpse into how people -particularly Filipinos seized by uncertainty in the affected areas of Mindanao- began to send the message to civilian and military officials alike that in the absence of any reassuring information that the government knew what it was doing and would defend citizens seized by panic, that they would then take matters into their own hands.
And the would do so in the manner of their forefahers, see Viva Iligan! « preMEDitated:
In the speech, he appealed for:
Calm.
Bravery.
Community.
And Solidarity.He also urged community leaders to lead the people under them, to prepare for the worst, and fight if the need arose. He also mentioned the presence of the tanks and the several thousand strong army defending Iligan.
He also mentioned that the people of Iligan should not be afraid because God and Senior San Miguel was on our side. He closed his speech with a, “Viva Senior San Miguel!, to which the people heartily replied a “Viva”.
Although, I’m Protestant and do not agree with Catholic veneration of saints and even angels, I could not help but realize that the Mayor was speaking the heart language of the Iliganon, something that they could understand. He was speaking the old language of the Spanish times at the time when the citizens of the old fort of Iligan defended the fort and even waged battle against the Moros. Historically, even though Iligan was just a doorstep away from the Moro stronghold of Marawi, it was never conquered by Muslims despite the fact that at that time their pirates raided Christian towns as far away as Luzon.
“War,” Clausewitz famously wrote, “is the continuation of politics by other means.” Samuel Johnson also famously warned that “patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels,” and yet it is also a time when a formerly divided people can find unity and leaders can tap into a kind of mystical reservoir of national solidarity and idealism:
As Juned Sonido, perhaps one of the most even-tempered bloggers around reflected, in a time of conflict there is the need to be aware of the dangers of jingoism and the imperative that should weigh heavily on all those in authority: to provide protection from those who hold allegiance to the state. What distinguishes the two? A clear and present danger, a compelling need:
At present waltzing around the negotiation table is as useful as cupping a corpse. It is hard to negotiate when one side has not given up the armed option or has no control over its army while the other side seems to be following the likes Neville Chamberlain at Munich – practicing vermi-negotiation or the art and science of negotiations by the worms at Munich.
Meanwhile, the war continues and people are hurt. A few hours ago a bomb was exploded in Zamboanga. Will this again reach the other corners of the country. Another bomb in the MRT or LRT?
Is this jingoism? No. This is a matter of national self defense.
It is the duty of the State to protect the citizens who opt to stay in this country. Otherwise these same citizens will go to other means to protect themselves.
You have to wonder whether such viligantism can view anything other than bloodcurdling hostility as acceptable.
By way of Carl Parkes — FriskoDude: Philippines: The Sulu Zone of Peace who points us to Jolo’s gun culture – Sidetrip with Howie Severino, we catch a glimpse of the complexities of conflict and clan relationships among the Moros. Those like the Catholic bishops clamoring for peace know from personal experience that peace is possible but peace between Christians and Muslims is made doubly difficult as peace among the Moros is difficult enough to achieve. Though it can be done: see A Lesson on Clan Conflict Resolution in the Philippines.
The reality however is that even though it’s always denied it, the Palace is sensitive to public opinion particularly when that opinion starts triggering May, 2001 flashbacks in the President’s inner circle.
Where that opinion is -and how it’s increasingly hostile to any policy other than crushing the MILF- can be gleaned from surveying the blogosphere:
See The Journal of The Jester-in-Exile: Are Yu Dif? Didna Her? then The Philippine Experience, as well as fiesty commentaries from mindanao is the land, promise « Geisha (gay’sya) Diaries and Mindanao « the Scribe in Me and The Art and Science of – Notes from an Apathetic Atenean Doctor. As well as idiosyncratic thoughts: hay.. and A SCENARIO EVERYONE SHOULD WATCH OUT « THE MOUNT BALATUCAN MONITOR.
On a more philosophical note, two entries discuss A Just War | Filipino Voices and A Just War: Road to A Just Peace | Filipino Voices (what is a “Just War”? See Just War – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). The voices raised against war are few and far between, see: Oppose the Mindanao War « Pinoy Observer
And while some will ask (and perhaps hope) Critical Criterion Edition: Peace in Mindanao? Here is A sober reminder that the war is real | Filipino Voices which makes for cautionary reading, as does this entry from General Santos City, in For the Children | HomewardBound:
12:52 PM Our principal called for an emergency meeting, the second meeting we had today that zeroed in on matters of safety and security. The schools has received calls that messages were circulating about schools in General Santos City whose students and teachers were hostaged. We were not very sure of the report but for the reason that we have to secure the safety of our students, we have decided to send them home.
However, we could not simply let them take the public transport, which will drop them in downtown GenSan. So, we arranged for vehicles that will take them to their respective homes. Those who have their own vehicles were fetched by their parents.
What happened in the elementary school is a different story. Panicking parents rushed to the school fetching their kids. Some drivers told us about the chaos in the elementary school.
Some member of the authorities went to our school to reassure us that none of the reported events were true and that we are relatively safer here. That’s a bit of a relief. But who knows what will happen next? Better safe than sorry.
Intuitive: We Need Your Prayers echoes the unreported reality for most Filipinos, worried about loved ones and even their property and livelihoods. Meanwhile, everyone waits to see which side will escalate matters and bring the front lines to other metropolitan centers of the Philippines.
to renato : like you say, sometimes, it looks like one has to read what Christian Science Monitor, Newsweek or UK Herald Tribune say about Pinas events (after reading deQuiros, Ellen Tordesillas, Q3 or Randy David) before one has enough to form an opinion about the Pinas events.
The discussions above zigzagged between the Mindanao MILF and McCain’s MILF turned VP bet.
I didn’t expect such “kababawan” in packaging Palin for a post a heartbeat away from the most powerful one on the planet. Don’t the Republicans have guys like benign0? A TV personality/ex-beauty queen is a rising star in politics – Pinoys have been there.
And if you saw how McCain stole glances at his newly-proclaimed running mate, doubters would probably better understand why the old man is pushing for drilling in Alaska.
“Five kids? Does anyone in that party understand the concept of pulling out?” – Bill Maher
@tongue twisted
ok lang, kahit sampu pa anak niya. palin and family are also oilie traders so can afford sila.
remember, the republicans support big business..
Oh, I haven’t heard about their oil trading, what I’ve read is that the hubby is a blue-collar worker who competes in snowsports. Also read that they, as husband and wife, are partners in a one-boat fishing outfit. But who doesn’t fish in Alaska?
The reason I posted it though is because I was ROTFLMFAO with Maher’s quip.
But seriously, it’s like, c’mon McCain, aren’t there any better choices?
I agree with you on the republicans seeming desperate to bring it to the level of personal politics and I see it as baiting the Dems with Sarah and her pregnant teen daughter, sexism, and family issues. Obama wisely and timely declared the pregnant kid hands-off.
I also share your sarcasm on giving the nuclear strike codes to pro-life but also pro-gun Palin.
Federalism does not guarantee local autonomy. A State can be more pervasive and domineering than Imperial Manila.
Fiscal federalism is not just for federal forms of government. It also applies to unitary systems.
It is not true that amendments to the 1991 LGC require a cha-cha. The present charter does not set a limit to how far Congress can go with local autonomy.
Federalism will not spur economic development. LGU’s are the proper venue for it. States will only provide more red tape.
Federalism will not solve the Mindanao problem. It will only aggravate it. Ancestral domain is not about politics or religion. It’s economic, stupid!
Federalism is expensive. The estimate given by the Primer is made by an engineer who wants his clientele to renovate a house. Wait till the bills come in!
It will take years before a State can be operational. Here’s what the primer says: “the type of federalism suited for the Philippines can be determined only through discussion, consultation and debate among our people. The Philippines can develop its own unique model of federalism based on the various models that have been adopted by other countries.â€Â
Federalism complicates a simple solution to our problems: decentralization.
Tax Joven,
How do you solve the issue of 6.6 million underemployed in the agricultural sector…
Causes within our current system:
LACK OF GLOBAL MARKET ACCESS:
• Non-tariff barriers on export of banana and pineapples to some countries
• Discriminatory tariffs on export of canned tuna to EU
• Lack of bilateral fishing rights to support domestic tuna industry (Palau, PNG, FSM, and Kiribati – all Pacific countries)
• Inability to respond to increased volume demands (e.g. centralized governance, individualism, elitism and unwillingness to team up with competitors)
WIDESPREAD CORRUPTION
• Irregular payments to various government agencies
WEAK ENFORCEMENT OF CONTRACTS & LAWS
• FAVORITISM in decisions of government officials
• Judicial interference
• Weak enforcement of property
Why the Philippines presented such a perverse record of multipliers from agricultural growth is a complex story. An important part of the story is bad macroeconomic policy that caused concentration of investment in capital-intensive industries, particularly those located in metropolitan Manila. That pattern of development resulted in very little employment growth and starved the rural sector of the capital and institutional structures necessary to take advantage of growing rural incomes. Other factors, including the structure of land tenure, also played a role.
Let the people of Mindanao manage their own crops and let the people of Leyte enhance our production. ( byt the way, Leyte is number 3 supplier of rice in the nation.
Your 80/20 or 90/10.. is only about money. Let’s not go there. Imperial Manila will actually on its advantage if those 6.6 million underemployed in the agricultural sector will be employed. Allow your mind to imagine how much individual income taxes the Federal government will collect from employment? Federalism for me will increase employment in the agricultural sector.
tax joven,
my key point is starvation and centralization of financial resources…
“That pattern of development resulted in very little employment growth and starved the rural sector of the capital and institutional structures necessary to take advantage of growing rural incomes. Other factors, including the structure of land tenure, also played a role.”
please think about the poor and the underemployed…
let’s do the numbers: 6.6 million x 1000 pesos of income taxes collection… let’s just say a year… how much is that for central government… Federal , I mean. This could at least help pay our debts and you guys can build your north rail… I have no problem with that. we are all filipinos… whatever manila has is our pride too but let’s not ignore inequality and poverty.
common tax joven… please hear the other side of the story. the other side are our very poor. our current system is not working. It’s not sustainable.. income tax are federal revenue. The people’s disposable income from employment will provide revenue to its local cities and local businesses thru property tax and other form of tax that the city or the region collects…
My opinion is not for me. I am pro-poor just like Gloria. If Federalism remains to be negative in your opinion.. so be it.
FEDERAL MINDANAO; Land of Promise – Land of Jobs
http://mindanaworld.blogspot.com/2006/05/federal-mindanao-land-of-promise-land.html
That – Mindanao is the land of promise – is so old it is passe.
It’s just saying there’s huge potential…but no kinetic. But so are all the other provinces.
And only federalism will give mindanoans 6 million jobs that cannot be achieved under the present system?
tOnguE-TwisTED: The entire Philippines is a land of promise. Has been then, still is now, with every child born (and boy!!!! does the Philippines ever pro-create) a potential OFW able to compete with Singaporeans, Spaniards, Canadians or Brits on their home turfs.
Leytenian,
Your idea of “6.6 million x 1000 pesos of income taxes collection” is interesting.
The income tax exemption was recently raised with claims that it formalizes the total tax exemption of about 500,000 minimum wage earners.
Your claim that these 6.6 million underemployed workers in the agricultural system will pay 1000 Pesos in income tax each therefore means that their income will be higher than the new income tax exemptions.
So how much annual income are you purporting these underemployed workers will be getting under your federal set up?
Leytenian,
Revised.
Your idea of “6.6 million x 1000 pesos of income taxes collection†is interesting.
The income tax exemption was recently raised with claims that it formalizes the total tax exemption of about 500,000 minimum wage earners.
Your claim that these 6.6 million “formerly” underemployed workers in the agricultural system will pay 1000 Pesos in income tax each therefore means that their income will be higher than the new income tax exemptions.
So how much annual income are you purporting these underemployed workers will be getting under your federal set up?
Leytenian:
Instead of allowing Leyte to receive money directly from Imperial Manila through legislation, you want it to pass through a State which would deduct 30% of the amount. After freeing your province from the clutches of the Central Government, you place it at the mercy of a State.
Even before you have created the 6.6 million jobs, you are already thinking of taxes for the new bureaucratic layer! You did not even bother to tell us how your States can generate those jobs.
A book on the ills of our government means nothing unless it is tied with our advocacy. So it is with a list of benefits. We all agree that our country is sick. It is in the prescription that we differ. I maintain that federalism is poison. Real local autonomy is the cure.
Two ways by which federalism will pull us down: the high cost of maintaining the states, and the breakdown of services as the new bureaucracies grope its way.
The 20/80 ratio in a real local autonomy means more money for LGU’s. It also means lesser control from Imperial Manila. With federalism, the LGU’s’ share will be immensely reduced, and the States will hamper their movements.
Tax Joven,
Real local autonomy is the cure.
agree …. let mindanao manage and Visayas manage its own affair….local autonomy is the cure…
hi justice,
it was only an example…. the 6.6 mil underemployed was taken on manolo’s next blog… on the economy. i was making an assumption that once this 6.6 underemployed will be employed … 1000 a year of income taxes — is only an example.
even if the 6.6 mil underemployed will not pay taxes, smaller businesses will prosper due to the disposable income that will be spent by the newly employed 6.6 mil within their barangays or cities… these smaller businesses will also employ other people …
the ripple effect of employment will increase revenue to our central government. I am not familiar of all taxes levied by our government.. but here’s a few:
small business license tax, tax on goods and services, property tax, individual income tax and many more…
Leytenian,
Then it’s probably best that you answer Tongue-twisted’s question yesterday (4:51 PM).
Local autonomy: ( or independent state)
When local governance is characterized by devolution–implying a considerable degree of local autonomy from the centre, the exercise of power by elected local councils, and effective people’s participation–it is more likely that local authorities are responsive to local concerns rather than to the dictates of central government, and they are accountable to the local electorates rather than to government ministries and agencies. This mode of local governance that exists in representative local governments, self-help associations, and various cooperatives, provides greater power to local people who can influence the policies and programs of these local institutions and make them accountable for such policies and programs. In addition, since these local institutions usually enjoy greater fiscal autonomy in terms of appointing their own staff and having their own local sources of revenue and sharing certain revenues with the central government, they are less dependent on the center, and thus, have greater capacity to respond to the needs of local residents instead of being loyal only to the central government.
Our current system maybe like this…
When the mode of local governance is deconcentration–implying an extension of central government to the field administration based on the appointment of government bureaucrats at the local level–the accountability of local authorities is predominantly to the central government rather than local people. This relatively bureauctratized mode of local governance, as found in many developing countries, is characterized by the dominance of central bureaucracy over local representatives, limited financial and personnel autonomy of local authorities, their economic dependence on central government, and the lack of opportunity for peoples’ participation. As a result, the accountability of local authorities based on deconcentration is an accountability to the appointing authorities of central government rather than to the local communities. Although deconcentration as a mode of governance is quite conducive to the maintenance of strong central-local relations and coordination of various local institutions at the central level, such local governance often leads to excessive central control, local dependence, indifference towards local needs, and above all, the POWERLESSNESS of local people to make local authorities responsive and accountable to them.
please google search devolution, privatization, delegation, deconcentration, decentralization or intermediation…
Leytenian:
Thank you for the absence of federalism in you latest post, but a vintage of the noxious word lingers: state. Otherwise, it is a scholarly work. Anyway, I’ll dwell on this for the sake of clarity.
Senator Pimentel says he is open to any proposal on the number of states. I suggest that we put up as many states as there are provinces and cities. Only we don’t call them states. We continue calling them as they are: LGU’s. This way, we can decentralize without the need for a cha-cha.
This, of course, is just the general idea. Congress will have to work out which functions to retain, and which to devolve. I believe this is Senator Pimentel’s forte.
What matters is that all devolved functions are duly supported by funding. What matters is that releases must be automatic or is not subject to the whims and caprices of powers that be. What matters is that we eliminate the creation of a useless layer of bureaucracy.
If we decentralize highly enough we would be able to clip not only Gloria wings and fangs, but also that of her successors as well. We will also be harnessing the energies that our system has stifled through all these years – stored in local civil societies and cooperatives.
It shall also be irrelevant where our Senators would be coming from or where they are based, because then, cities and provinces would be too busy minding their own affairs to be bothered by anyone’s antics. This is why urgent action is needed NOW.
Let me reiterate the fact that our Charter sets no limit to how far Congress may decentralize. In fact, it says that LGU’s must have a share in National Taxes, not just from internal revenue collections. Our problem is Congress, not the Charter. Members wouldn’t just part with their pork and perks. What are we going to do about it?
tax joven,
“Our problem is Congress, not the Charter”
agree….
let’s talk about administrative significance, the delegation of task to others. senators who are not living in the region should not be qualified to run for office. Congressman and governors who are closely related by blood ( dynasty) are subject to conflict of interest.
this task should be the responsibility of comelec. To create rules , policy and procedures.
as i have mentioned before… there are about 21 senators who are currently from Manila:
Thus, it is quite difficult on the part of the central government to be responsive to such varying local needs and demands. In this regard, local institutions are in a better position to know the specific needs of local citizens and deliver appropriate (need-based) goods and services to them. It is this local knowledge and information possessed by local-level decision makers that enable them to carry out programs and provide services with a higher degree of responsiveness. Thus, for administrative convenience and effectiveness, many government activities and programs–such as building rural infrastructure, ensuring law and order, managing local schools, distributing agricultural inputs, and maintaining sanitation facilities–have been transferred to local institutions ( Senator must reside in that region) With these increasing responsibilities assigned to local authorities, there is an added importance to the realization of their accountability: they should be held accountable for performing these functions efficiently, providing necessary services to local communities, and satisfying the needs and demands of diverse social groups.
The proximity of local senators to the people makes them more effective than the centralized congress to deliver goods and services based on actual (local) needs, and as these local senators undertake more expansive responsibilities of delivering services and addressing local problems, it becomes more essential to ensure their accountability.
The political significance of local senators is accountability for a fair distribution of goods and services among various target groups such as landless and small farmers, underprivileged women, and ethnic minorities.
If one region is not doing well, the central executive can assist , modify or intervene with local affairs.
Leytenian: “The proximity of local senators to the people makes them more effective than the centralized congress to deliver goods and services based on actual (local) needs, and as these local senators undertake more expansive responsibilities of delivering services and addressing local problems, it becomes more essential to ensure their accountability. The proximity of local senators to the people makes them more effective than the centralized congress to deliver goods and services based on actual (local) needs, and as these local senators undertake more expansive responsibilities of delivering services and addressing local problems, it becomes more essential to ensure their accountability.”
Comment: I don’t think you are accurately depicting the job of Senators now, in federalism, or in a highly decentralized set-up (HDS). Anyway, in an HDS, shares of LGU’s are fixed by law. No need to haggle. No need to lick the asses of Senators or any else’. The function of Senators will be limited to law-making. Freed from parochial concerns, they can concentrate on national and international issues. Since they will not be concerned with fund allocation, it matters little where they come from or where they are based. Of course it might help somehow if Senators represent all the regions, but it’s not worth changing the charter for this purpose alone.
“The political significance of local senators is accountability for a fair distribution of goods and services among various target groups such as landless and small farmers, underprivileged women, and ethnic minorities.” Comment: I don’t know where you got this idea. If you want to reduce the functions of Senators to such petty concerns, please do not use it as an argument for federalism. You might not get the backing of even die-hard federalists because if local Senators do what you want them to do, that would be the end of local autonomy for LGU’s!
An equalization fund envisioned for federalism may also be adopted in a HDS.
Leytenian,
With regards to your issue on “based on the appointment of government bureaucrats at the local level”; what local level are you specifically referring to?
With regards to your issue of “Congressman and governors who are closely related by blood ( dynasty) are subject to conflict of interest.”; there is already an anti-dynasty provision in the Constitution. It is Congress that doesn’t want to move and COMELEC can’t do anything about that.
“It is Congress that doesn’t want to move and COMELEC can’t do anything about that.”
then remove congress. lol
hi justice,
what i mean by remove is to decrease the size of congress.
labor costs are too high for some of those non performing officials. then maybe we can talk about federalism later in life. lol
Leytenian,
Hi.
Then you are going to have to cite proposals from the powers that are that they want the size of Congress decreased.
Most if not all recent proposals are for increasing the size (as per your idea on the labor costs).
Lol too.
Leytenian: “…decrease the size of Congress.”
Are you referring to the present Congress, or the ones proposed by Senator Pimentel?
Leytenian: “…maybe we can talk about federalism later in life.”
Whose life? Yours, Senator Pimentel’s or this administration’s? In the meantime, what? Shall we decentralize?
decentralize the senators… as i have said before, there’s too many of them who lives in manila. local autonomy can be best manage if senator is closer to the people.
11 states by pimentel? only need 11 or 22 senator. 1 or 2 each state. consolidate congressmen and governor . 3 or 4 congressmen and 3 or 4 governors .
for eleven state or local autonomy: we only need about 88 representative in the lower house. we will keep the mayors and barangay captains.
there are too many useless non performing representative of congress. we need senators with management degree or they need to get seminars for good governance. Quezon city mayor is a good example.
Leytenian,
So essentially you’ll be for the dissolution of the Provincial governors and the provincial legislatures.
Well like I’ve said before, please do cite any proposals from the “powers that are” that are extremely similar to yours.
Those in power now have their own “ideas” on what the proposed Constitution (and with it the form/kind of government including local government) is to be.
If your proposal is different from the proposals of the “powers that are”, obviously those in power will push for their own and not yours.
Some years back, certain congressional members from Cebu (if I’m not mistaken) were proposing to split Cebu into several provinces (ranging from 2 to as much as 6). The proposal should it have been successful would have resulted in several more provincial governors, provincial legislatures as well as new Congressional districts.
Interestingly enough, many of those proposing the idea were on their last terms of office.
There were even proposals to divide Bohol into 3 and now Sen. Zubiri once proposed (when he was a Congressman) to divide Bukidnon into 2.
That just shows how different the idea of politicians from yours.
Leytenian:
When you say “…decentralize the senators,” are you referring to the persons or the functions? Why put senators and congressmen in a state? Would they have the same functions? If not, how exactly would they differ? Why do you want to senators to get “seminars for good governance?” Will they act as executives, not as legislators? Will your state legislature have 1or 2 senators at the upper chamber, and 3 or 4 congressmen at the lower house?
You say, “…local autonomy can be best manage if senator is closer to the people.” Are you saying that senators will manage local autonomy? “Quezon city mayor is a good example.” Of what? Of a senator?” Please explain.
What do you mean by “…3 or 4 governors?” Are you saying that this much will seat with congressmen at the lower chamber? Or are you saying that only 3 or 4 shall remain after you dissolve some of the provinces?
I share justice league’s observation that you may have unique or original ideas which may be worth looking into.
Leytenian, why do you want senators to “get seminars for good governance?” Are you aware that you may be espousing your own type of senators? Your own brand of federalism? How is it better than Senator Pimentel’s?
Tax Joven
you are really serious about this..
Let’s focus on local autonomy. Mayors have direct access to information to the people- the needs of the people. They are the one’s who can assess the basic needs and infrastructure within a town or city. The lower house and upper house representative must also live within that region.
Let’s look on Philippines as a whole.. Break it down to Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao..
Luzon may need 4 senators, Mindanao 3, and the Visayans 3..
To decrease the size of congressmen or governors, let’s use the model of pimentel – 11 states or region.
each region may need 4 congressmen and 4 governors.
That’s a lot of savings in terms of labor costs. The savings should then be used to finance and hire more personnel at the local level.- mayor’s office , senators office and congressmen.
Note: senators who will represent Mindanao should be a resident of Mindanao. the same in the Visayas. Decentralization
not sure.. if congress would want this..
seminar on good governance? why not… to manage or represent a region requires economic background, financial background, statistics, engineering, waste management, agriculture , tourism, real estate , human rights, and many more..
we have so many ideas but the problem is implementation. implementation has a process, technique and preparation. it requires man power, talent, skills and experience.
pimentel has a good idea but he may be lacking the right tools of presentation to implement. chacha has been proposed by Ramos, Estrada and now Gloria. No one has been able to implement it. it could also be that some people are dragging the process?
a short seminar. lesson from washington congress
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0FJhOMc-vA
Leytenian,
“not sure.. if congress would want this..”
Well that was quite honest and quite telling also.
Still, you spoke of accountability in one of the posts above. How are you planning to assert it anyway?
Hi Justice,
we should have policies and procedures for every plan or policy prior to implementation. Policies will include job description including incentives for good governance and penalty for bad results. There should be a framework to follow and that is the procedures that must be followed.
For small business, a good example is the franchise of Jollibee. Joliibee has a constant set of rules, regulations and policies. Thats the reason why Jollibee is the most successful franchise in Asia. It’s really just a cut and paste from the top all the way to the bottom. Implementation should start by educating the top and the bottom almost at the same time. For accountability in terms of financial management, a complete financial statement – profit and loss projection in 5 years, 10 years and 20 years. This way when our economy adjust, repair or inflate… financial management can easily accommodate, adjust and project. Pimentel’s proposal do not include the financial implication. That to me is not good after all… lol
Rules and Regulations must be respected by our Justice system. It must follow the penalty required for those who manage a project, a city, a region poorly.
Leytenian,
In your Jolibee analogy, I think you are detailing the basis (But why profit and loss projection instead of actual profit or loss?) to be used for their accountability but I think you left out how you are going to hold them accountable.
I have discussed this earlier. My proposal calls for a revolution, no less. Congress must be pressured. Otherwise, all this talk would be useless. But first let’s agree on what to fight for, instead of fighting each other for what we want.
This will be a repetition of what I’ve said before. Either I’m not making myself clear, or nobody is listening. There is no need to create States! All the goals of federalism will be achieved simply through local autonomy. All we need to do is go to our City Mayors and Governors. They can do the job intended for States!
There’s no need for us here to discuss fiscal policies and procedures. It’s all spelled out in the 1991 Local Government Code. If we want Local Autonomy, all we need is to amend this Code. The output may be called a highly decentralized set-up (HDS) in our unitary system.
An HDS is what this country needs.
Unless we go HDS, any change in leadership will be useless. We will always have Gloria, and LGU’s whose potential are barely tapped.
.
Hi justice,
accountability to me is carrying out the task as set forth by the policy and procedure. it also means carrying out the responsibility of the job that needs to be done WITHIN a time frame.
Projected profit and loss is very important for any entity. Forecasting and financial projections are prospective financial statements that present an entity’s expected financial position, results of operations, and cash flows in future periods under two different conditions. Financial forecasts assume that the entity will continue to function in the manner in which it is currently functioning.
Actual profit and loss is the present financial health of an entity. For example, On pimentel’s proposal… Income statement is the start-up financial position of our government. If the statement is leaning towards more expenses, then it must also consider alternative management strategies and prepare capital and operating budgets; they must also consider alternative funding and cash budget possibilities. Preparation of actual profit and loss statements will attempt to predict the outcome of Pimentel’s proposal in future periods.
Any new proposal is like starting a business- it is standard in management to prepare a plan including marketing/advertising ( like educating the people first or educating the congress first) on why we need to do the plan. What’s the benefits?
Congress will probably will not listen and very few will agree because the benefits of our proposal ( for example) will no longer be favorable towards their own personal interest. I thought they applied for the job as politicians with a job description of ” PUBLIC SERVICE”
In my own projections on labor costs alone, the government will be in a positive position if we decrease the size of congress.
In my understanding , Pimentel’s proposal of 11 states requires 6 senators per state.. there you go… I can calculate that his proposal is very expensive. The six senators may not be equipped with knowledge on how to increase revenue such as increasing employment within that region. I may agree with his Federalism but his proposal requires a higher level of presentation. A better plan can be done and he can actually be called ” the Primer” if he really knows what he’s doing? lol… hahaha
Tax Joven,
I am for local autonomy, I am also for federal states but only 1 senator per state, maybe 3-4 governors and congresmen per state.
as i said before, the revenue of our country is smaller that Orlando and Miami. Both city of Orlando and Miami is only run by a mayor. we don’t need useless congress.
Leytenian,
You want 2 senator per state, maybe 3-4 governors and congressmen per state? You want to create states just for these people? What will they do? Are you sure you know what you’re saying?
Maybe you should stick to US affairs where you seem to be an expert. At least there, you can do no harm.
Tax Joven,
whatever you say… you might need to gather help from the provinces, from the media, NGO,s and other groups to pressure congress.
It’s not what I want. It’s what other’s want. You might need to convince the “others ” who may do ACTUAL harm.
Leytenian,
Well you could have included what happens when the task as set forth by the policy and procedure has been carried out or not. Or when the responsibility of the job that needs to be done has been done or not been done WITHIN a time frame.
Will you just depend on profit and loss projections or at the end of the road you are going to go to the actual profit or loss to determine whether you are going to hold those concerned accountable?
And when you stated “Policies will include job description including incentives for good governance and penalty for bad results.”
and
” Rules and Regulations must be respected by our Justice system. It must follow the penalty required for those who manage a project, a city, a region poorly.”
what incentives and penalties did you have in mind?
You wrote about 5 year, 10 year, and 20 year profit and loss projections. What if the loss projections actually occur. Will those concerned be held accountable for their management which resulted in losses that they projected anyway.? Will it be considered as managing poorly?
“Congress will probably will not listen”- again quite telling.
hi justice,
“Congress will probably will not listenâ€Â- again quite telling.”
that’s the main problem… then we will need some collective effort to weaken the decision making of congress. as tax joven said, people’s power to target congress not Gloria.
“You wrote about 5 year, 10 year, and 20 year profit and loss projections. What if the loss projections actually occur. Will those concerned be held accountable for their management which resulted in losses that they projected anyway.? Will it be considered as managing poorly?”
it depends. if losses are incurred on financial statement due to infrastructure expenses that could potentially spur economic growth in the near term may not be subject to penalty. It depends of how one manage the people’s money.
there are many strategies out there.
Leytenian,
Near term economic growth on a 20 year profit and loss projections? Very well.
But you and Tax Joven haven’t agreed on what to fight for yet?
And anyway, you haven’t told us of the specific incentives and penalties yet.
Leytenian,
Oooopssss.
Revised.
But you and Tax Joven haven’t agreed on what to fight for yet.
penalties:
1. removal from office
2. voluntary resignation
3. suspension of hours work
4. suspension of salary
5. suspension of benefits
6. suspension for hiring a family member without proper hiring… the job must be published and allow others to apply. a documented record of hiring is required.
there’s plenty of penalties..
suspension can be temporary or permanent, the media is good on leaking this information anyway… but we must provide a clear policy for penalties. it must be disclosed first day in office.
incentives: i don’t think they deserve one for now.. lol
“But you and Tax Joven haven’t agreed on what to fight for yet.”
i thought i have agreed on his local autonomy and to pressure congress. i think he suggested people’s power.
na naman?
Leytenian,
I think Tax Joven meant that pressuring Congress is already part of the “fight”.
What you haven’t agreed on is the local autonomy under what set up. He is definitely in favor of local autonomy under the unitary while you are in favor of one that will be under a Federal set up.
Voluntary resignation? Anyway. most of the penalties you enumerated is already provided for in the Local Government Code. (Though Congress might have a different process. And before you write anything further on the accountability of Congress, I have not come across any proposed amendment by Congress on the Constitution by resolution or whatever that they would empower the people to have the “power of recall” over members of Congress)
Regarding your incentives, you implied that the QC mayor is doing a good job. Do you think he should have an incentive and if so, what?
Justice League: “What you haven’t agreed on is the local autonomy under what set up. He is definitely in favor of local autonomy under the unitary while you are in favor of one that will be under a Federal set up.”
You’ve got it 5/5. Between me and Leytenian, it’s 2/5. A good start, anyway. Considering that my obsession seem to be 0/5 from other posters. I do wish somebody can put up a better alternative. This could be a desperate battle, and a lonely one.
Leytenian, thanks for a matured response. We may be nearer 5/5 than I ever imagined possible. Would it help if I label my advocacy? HDS. A Highly Decentralized Set-up under a unitary system. It’s about bringing local autonomy to the limits allowable under the present Charter.
You can help by showing me that this is a crazy idea… that the goals of federalism is attainable only through federalism. If you can…