‘Explaining’ Cha-cha to the masses

By Gerry Garcia

TO a third of about 86 million Pinoys today, who speak at best only pidgin Engalog, explanation of what parliamentary government means or what Cha-Cha is all about if it’s not a type of dancing, and why there’s a need today for government to shift to unicameral government. . . would be nothing but Greek.

What they best know is that there’s a wide gap between themselves and the few rich in this country, why they can’t send their children to school while those of the rich breeze through high school on to college or university.

But probably the best argument they can understand is this: About 9 million Filipinos, probably more, leave Pinoyland every year to work abroad. Many, for instance, are working in our next-door neighbors in Southeast Asia, like Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand — all with parliamentary governments. And these are neighbors enviously rich and prosperous.

* * *

For over more than half a century after we gained  independence from Mother America in 1946 . . . up to now, the presidential government and the two houses of Congress we have inherited from the motherland have brought us nowhere but to the edge of perdition.

The system worked efficiently for the Americans because it was they themselves who designed the system by working together. And it was their commitment to unity and patriotism that consequently resulted in the advent of world’s super power today.

* * *

It there’s anything in us Pinoys that successfully thwarted efforts to achieve similar ends gained by the Americans, it was, and still is, our lack of unity. We Pinoys are, decidedly, the most hard-working lot BUT . . . we never worked together. Best proof is the more than 60 years that we’ve had the presidential type of government. Everyone wants to be president.

That’s why SIGAW NG BAYAN is seeking the abolition of not only the Senate but also the House or Representatives.

These two houses of Congress are the symbols of the failings of the bicameral presidential system.

At least there are a few sober members of Congress with guts . . . who readily admit their own failings and propose the adoption of a better system — the parliamentary, which our prosperous neighbors in the region have adopted, with no regret.

We Pangasinenses are mighty proud that the very first cry for needed charter amendments came from one among us who shared the same cry — Thrice Speaker of the House Jose de Venecia, Jr.

* * *

Alejandro “Alex” Catubig, a Dagupeño and former Philippine diplomat in the USA, wrote this columnist from his residence in New York that “the Sunday Punch has long  been our source of information on what is going on in our city and province and we always anticipate its arrival by airmail . .  .  since my sisters in Dagupan send them to us regularly.”

Alex, a personal friend, writes that he and his wife “spent the last Christmas and New Year holidays in Dagupan with the other balikbayans. We enjoyed the various activities during the celebration of the Dagupan City Fiesta 2005.

“Also, on December 17, 2005, I attended the UPANG High School Grand Alumni Homecoming … as I am one of the high school graduates of the  then Dagupan Institute which held its commencement exercises in March, 1941, 9 months before the outbreak of the Pacific  war in World War II on December 7, 1941. In that reunion, I was hoping to meet some of my high school co-graduates but I was greatly disappointed when I did not see anyone of them. I understand their absence. All of us by this time are octogenarians and some must have gone to their eternal rest….  I was happy, however, to meet our friend, Glorificador Orprecio, who graduated in the same school 1 year ahead of me. We were the only “old-timers” around in that gathering.

* * *

This writer, Alex, is also an octogenarian like you who graduated from Dagupan Institute in 1941, who could not make it to that reunion because of a bum stomach. I was myself an awardee for journalism in that historic reunion. Besides, being a Basista resident then, I hated the bother of driving my car to Dagupan, two towns away from Basista, during night-time. Just the same I was disappointed at not seeing you and your wife. I did not know you two were at the reunion that night.

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments