SOUNDING BOARD is an outlet for opinions on good and crazy things going on at home (wherever I may be). All are welcome. You are not expected to bring anything except your common sense & sense of humor.
'If the automobile had followed the same development cycle as the computer, a Rolls-Royce would today cost $100, get one million miles to the gallon, and explode once a year, killing everyone inside.'
-Robert X. Cringely (from geek wisdom)
SOUNDING BOARD
Saturday, January 04, 2003
_____________________________________________
“Government of national unity”: the implication of an inside-track reform
Right after her shocking declaration that she is not running for election in 2004, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has approved the formation of a "unity government" that includes all opposition parties as well as communist and Muslim separatist rebel groups, House Speaker Jose De Venecia Jr. said Thursday. The following day, Malacanang was quick to clarify that while President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is open to the idea of a unity government, she does not agree with the details expounded by Speaker de Venecia. The President said the government of national unity should be "program-oriented rather than people-centered".
The idea seems to be well-received generally by most sectors. However, whether it is the De Venecia (personality-based) or Arroyo formula (program-based, which Malacanang has not explained very well yet), Malacanang has not yet managed to go beyond the conceptual notion of a unity government. In principle, SOUNDING BOARD finds the idea laudable in terms of finding ways to widen access and participation of critical sectors. The big hurdle is how to do it, or whether the Arroyo government can ever work at all with that setup. And it is in this context that this issue of SOUNDING BOARD takes an opposing view.
The current discussions are only focusing on the tip of the iceberg. There is a deeper and more fundamental flaw in the thinking of government with respect to participation of different sectors. If we go deeper, we will quickly notice an implicit message behind the “unity government”: if you want reforms, join us. If you find nothing wrong with the previous statement, you are either Jose De Venecia, Jr., Gloria Arroyo or anyone from Malacanang.
Influencing policies from outside is the essence of democracy. This power is inherent in the people themselves. In the case of Philippine democracy, being able to influence policies was what the Filipino people fought for when they topple the Marcos dictatorship. It is what the people are continuously fighting for – the right, power and ability to have a say on the things that influence their lives. If the current government believes that a strong republic is best done by bringing all critical forces in the cabinet, the President should reconsider De Venecia’s proposal. It is wrong. Doing that highlights a major weakness of the government to let critical stakeholders effectively influence policies as members of civil society. Doing that implies that the current government’s idea of democratic governance is one where reforms emanate and focus within government. The country needs a more efficient and effective way of governance – one that does not necessarily require a “unity government” but one that is founded on people empowerment and trust.
Like “Plan 747”, the “unity government” is another strategy that carries the stamp of De Venecia – no wonder they both carry the same trait: hollow. If the system itself is the problem, the solution is definitely not to join it – reform it.
posted by Allan at 1:51 PM (GMT+8)
permalink (URL of this post) ::
