The rampant expression of informal institutions in the
Philippine context resulted in democratic deficiency that may lead to Charter
Change. Political parties are representation of the diverse culture of a nation
under democracy. It is an indicator of democratization, but how effective are
the political parties pursuing their platform for the benefit of their people?
There is a deficit in an institution that suppose to provide empowerment to
pursue the betterment of the people, thereof political parties is use for other
means instead of representing a group of people. Political parties are used by
the elites, riches and political clans to lure groups of people for their
support, after attaining their political goal they simply abandon the party for
a greater opportunity in other party by means of “turncoatism”. An individual able to change his party and will join
the much stronger coalition. A party is a vehicle to get into the power, as
machines crafted for the sole purpose of winning election, they soon collapse
after a crushing political defeat (Manasca, Rodelio and Tan, Alexander 2005).
It is used to enter the beneficial circle of politics. These political norms
are used by political clans to maintain their incumbency. Political clans are
securing their tenure for the benefits and privileges that they acquire; they
use the public funds for financing their candidacy. It is a reciprocal effect,
in the end of their term their relatives will take over for one term until they
utilized all their relatives to prolong their tenure or incumbency. Maintaining
their power is their main objectives. Political seat is like an object that can
transfer and reacquire by means of succession. By the use of three G’s there
clans that are almost permanent to political arena. In the presence of an
election political clans deny that they are political dynasties but bossism is
somehow an evolution and the new form of political dynasty. The use of informal
political norms like patron-client relation, bossism and other forms in every
democratic institution in the Philippines will put danger to maintain our
present charter and may always result to constitutional crisis that will lead
to charter change.
An in depth view to Political Parties/Electoral
Reform, the objective of Philippine multi-party system is to represent
different ideology, groups of people, culture and religion. It is an indicator
of democratization, so as election. The idea behind the construction of
political parties in the Philippines is to voice out the small voices of
different groups of people for a better policy formulation. The effectiveness
of a democratic institution lies towards good administration and the greater
good must be always observed. There are so many loopholes in the Philippine
Charter and it is a sign of opportunity for manipulating the system by
different politicians. The rampant use of electoral fraud is being the primary
problems in Philippine setting, especially in the local levels where political
clans have dominion. The use of public funds to finance their candidacy seems
to begin a custom, so the incumbent official has a great advantage to win the
election. The present design of election is somehow favorably for those
incumbent officials who have access to the public funds and other resources and
so political dynasties emerged. The utilization of public resources is the
great advantage of incumbent officials and an illustration of unequal
opportunity in participating in the elections. Most probably the elites, riches
and political clans can only avail to participate in any election, so that is
why small people cannot pursue their needs or totally represent them in the
congress. Electoral process is democratic institution made to represent people
but it is use as a route of some individuals aspiring political power.
Political parties are crafted as a political machine for the purpose of winning
the election and by luring small people for their support it is clearly a
patron-client relationship. The informal political norms are being dominant in
the Philippine political system and will always affect the punctuality of every
democratic institution especially the election and political parties.
Electoral frauds, sabotages and
corruptions are acute illness of our electoral process. The election that is
the main identity of democracy faces the greatest challenge. Election is the
time where people enter in a relationship with the candidates and it is either
formal or informal relationship. Patron-Client relationship is the mutual
relationship between two parties; it gives some privileges to both party but it
is more beneficial to those who offer material privileges than those who offer
their votes and supports.
Political Dynasties is the Philippine
political setting is very rampantly observed especially in the local levels.
Political clans are spread all around the Philippines. Arroyo Clan in Pampanga
and Negros Occidental, Marcos Clan in Ilocos Norte, Ampatuan Clan in Maguindanao,
Angara Clan in Aurora, Aquino Clan in Tarlac, Singson Clan in Ilocos Sur,
Osmeña Clan in Cebu and Ortega Clan in La Union. These families are well known
for their political career because they stayed in power older than a college
student and these political clans are the ones who dominated the national or
local election. These families denied to be called dynasty because of the
presence of an election and people choose them, but the impotency of our
charter provides an opportunity to maintain their power by simply using political
machinery. Bossism is the evolution of political dynasty; it is the
prolongation of political power by use of any means. Patron-Client relation is
somehow a huge factor to maintain political power, it is a mutual relation
between the upper-class and lower class which aims to benefits each other
reciprocally. These are the two main reason of why can a politicians maintain
their supremacy in their localities. Political clans are also landlords so they
can control the economy and the society. The lower-class believed that it is
the best to maintain my economic stableness and social security provided by
their Patron (Political Ruler) than to change their customs. Patron-Client
relation may be observed in rural areas where local elite are also landlords
and bossism may be observed in a highly-develop and marginalize urban areas, as
in the case of Makati City, the Binay’s stayed for more than two decades. The
key factor for Bossism is the Political Machinery, giving the highest standard
of living may be included in the machinery. Even though how positive or good
the motives of an individual it is technically wrong based on our Charter to
prolong or extend a political power.
The significant reason to pursue
Charter Change in the Philippines is the intervention of informal political
norms in democratic institutions that resulted to democratic deficits. Lack of
accountability, responsibility and political “turncoatism” are the democratic deficits of Political Parties that
invites reformation of the charter. Terms must be shortened and competitive
individuals must able participate in election equally without resources. This
is the common problems of the Philippine election; only the rich can
participate or can fund national and local election. Electoral reform must be
immediately applied for at least providing remedy for democratic deficits.
Parliament is the best form of political system for representation of
marginalized sector, it fortify the coalition of political parties. Parliament
offers much greater continuity and accountability, if the prime minister is
performing at his best; his tenure will secured and if he is a corrupt
official, by simply casting a “no
confidence vote” the prime minister can be ousted. Ratifying Philippine
charter will be essential to develop our democratic maturity. Political
coalition will be strengthened and political platform will be clearer and
distinctive.
Political Dynasty is an old way of
maintaining political power but it can be observed until the Philippine charter
is amended or totally changed. The security of tenure, the three consecutive
terms and a re-election after an intervention on a term or three terms are just
example loopholes of our present charter. Amendment of the 1987 Constitution
will be more essential pursuing democratic efficiency. Political clans must be
restricted performing succession of power in political arena; huge lands must
be distributed to local farmers so there is no reason to have patron-client
ties. The limitation of term and specific understanding and jurisprudence of
the law, Philippine charter must be understandable even in primary school
level. Strong enforcement of the law is always the main factor to solve or to
weaken the domination of informal institution, which creates democratic
deficits. Abolish the creation of private armies; it is a big contribution for
elimination of political dynasties. People must always that they have a choice
to pick from and to have a clearer understanding to their rights and obligation
as a citizen of the Philippines, people must secure the only thing that can
change everything, to vote, and they must do it with responsible and wisely.
The Philippine Charter needs to
re-examine to determine the loopholes and then provide a solution. It is a
matter of strong law formulation and law execution that may lead us to
effective governance. Total overhaul of the Philippine political setting is
very essential to pursue political development, so as democratic efficiency.
The overall solution is change; we must understand that our present charter is
not so effective pursuing the dream of every Filipinos. The new charter can
provide equal opportunity to political, social and economical aspect of life.
What can satisfy the masses? One thing can surely satisfy the masses, to make
them happy. Providing basic needs to different sector of the society will make
them happy, by parliament the political parties will be more accountable and
responsible promoting development to the sector they represent. Change is
inevitable and this is the right opportunity towards changes.
No comments:
Post a Comment