“In regional elections, there is a greater possibility of getting better brains into the Upper Chamber because the list of candidates that the voters will choose from are persons more familiar to them.”
by Ducky Paredes
How can we improve on our elections?
Based on current surveys, the election results for senators will not in any way improve the Senate. It looks like we will only be choosing more of the same. Our Senate was envisioned to be an improvement of the Lower House, which is probably the reason why the shift from electing them by region was changed to electing them nationally – the better to choose men of wisdom.
It has not turned out that way. What has happened, instead, is that the choices of Senators has deteriorated into a mere popularity contest. We have not been choosing the learned and the wise; instead, we have been choosing on the basis of popularity.
The top two contenders for the incoming senate are two re-electionists, better known for their movies than for work done in the Senate. One’s greatest achievement as a Senator is that his last movie – a fairy tale about a legendary hero – did well at the box office and earned him a best actor prize at the Metro Manila Film Festival!
May I suggest that if we go back to choosing our senators on a regional basis – one every three years from each of the country’s regions – we would have a better and definitely more interesting Senate that will serve us all better. In regional elections, there is a greater possibility of getting better brains into the Upper Chamber because the list of candidates that the voters will choose from are persons more familiar to them. Also since each region will only be given one senator every three years, this gives the voters of the region an incentive to elect someone who will represent them to the rest of us Pinoys; thus, this would be an additional incentive for them to choose well.
Besides, how many of us fill up all twelve spaces on the ballot for senator? Most voters vote for only three or four, which gives the more known public figures an even greater chance of being elected.
Of course, if we gave each region one senator, we would be electing 16 senators every three years which would give us a senate of 36 persons; or, the amendment to the Constitution could create permanent rfegions for purposes of electing our Senators.
But, a change is needed if we will have a better Senate where the Senators are not the more popular among those who are known to mostly Metro Manilans but those whose region-mates themselves have chosen to represent them. I sincerely believe that, going back to a Senate where Senators are voted on by region, will give us a better Senate, which will concern itself more with what the nation needs than what best serves the individual senators.
It will also give the local politicos – LGU officials and district congressmen – something to aspire for.
And, we will rid ourselves of a Senate whose very member’s political ambition is to become either President or vice president.
Another change to improve things would be in the way that we elect party-list congressmen. Most of our party-list organizations are not really organizations but hastily put-up fake parties whose main task is to find a name on the upper levels of an alphabetically arranged ballot. Imagine the son of the President (who is a congressman of the district where the President will be running) running as the number one nominee of his personal party-list.
Clearly, a better way ought to be found for registering and vetting the party-list so that the ones we admit on the ballot are actual, working parties or organizations that truly and actually represent the marginalized sectors of our society.
A last one that would mitigate wholesale cheating (ala Ampatuan) wouild be to adopt some sort of electoral votes as they have it in the elections for the American President. Say, at one electoral vote per 500,000 population, the different provinces and cities would be assigned the proper number of electoral votes.
Then, if one wins in that locale, one takes all the electoral votes. How this would improve our elections is that the damage done by wholesale cheating would be limited to the number of electoral votes for the area, which could be made up by winning electoral votes in the areas where there was no cheating.
Think on these.
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Getting back into the swing of things (writing about golf again), I erred 0n the date in announcing that the Federation of Philippine Amateur Senior Golfers, Inc. (FPASGI) would hold the First Leg of the San Mig Coffee Sugar Free Senior Golf Tour for 2010 at Eastridge Golf and Country Club. This will be on Wednesday, March 24.
The 8th FPI Golf Classic Tournament tees off two days prior on Monday, March 22, 2010 at the Tagaytay Midlands Golf Course in Tagaytay City. It is sponsored by most of the members of the Federation of Philippine Industries led by San Miguel Corporation and Asahi Glass. Hole-in-one prizes of Nissan Urvan, Motorcycle SR100A and two pistols (M1911-A2 CAL.45 FS PS and 9MM FS PS) await lucky golfers. Other major prizes will be raffled.
And, Larry’s Cup, the annual tournament hosted by now Executive Secretary Larry Mendoza is on Wednesday, March 17 at Malarayat Golf and Country Club in Lipa, Batangas.
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We have a letter: “The Pastor is not only a ‘nut’, but appears to be a brat! Television is a powerful tool , that is how the Pastor has projected himself. Remember the Kennedy-Nixon debates? Why is he admonishing Manny V and Noynoy, perceived to be the leading presidential candidates , the latter publicly at that and minced no words of ridicule. Curiously left out was JC de los Reyes, one of the tail-enders based on the Surveys. JC was direct to the point from day one, and he should be commended. Perhaps, the Pastor is used to having his ways and his word divine. It appears that what is being preached on forgiveness is not being practiced. The candor and outspokenness should have been directed at good governance or lack of it. Will the anointed who wins the Presidency have the guts to disappoint ? Let us remember that Aquino and Villar failed to show up in a University forum in Davao City , and were they ridiculed for their absence? I think the 50 million Filipino voters should be guided upon, not dictated upon.” — Manuel Q Bondad
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hvp 03.14.10)
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