The latest SC decision seems to follow occurring climate change – rain in summer.
As it is now, Congress advanced the sentiment that there are neither 32 offices nor available gargantuan budget to support the recruitment of the additional party-list representatives. We are not about inclined to re-echo what lady Sen. Miriam Santiago has said on this new addition.
That creates a lot of pressure, either way. It means that SC’s order cannot be taken for granted by Congress. The pressure point will go as far as DBM or Malacanang to release the budget if not cut a slice from the national budget pie especially so that one of the party-list representatives includes an Arroyo.
Maybe, those bigger rooms in the newly-built Mitra Hall largely reserved to committee chairmen should now accommodate more than just one (1) congressman. Let them make it a room for two (2) – men for men, women for women – much like UP Faculty Center for the faculty. That is not to say that some congressmen do have two rooms actually.
Or if that were not possible, invade the Senate and find 32 more rooms for all of them since 24 senators in a building as huge as that might be unreasonable. Again, renting the nearest condominium (if there is) around Batasan could be an option if not provide air-conditioned tents. A dozen other possibilities is an open gate.
The propulsion engine of leftist groups (Bayan, Karapatan, etc.) is warming up against at least one party-list. How is that? They think a certain Palparan is not eligible for office. A host of other disqualification moves are also being propelled against others. How is that?
There is even this disparity in the figures so determined by the SC against those in the COMELEC apparently about a base number from which the percentage of party-list is being calculated. In other words, there will be a quick subtraction process as it will necessarily cause quick addition process. Some will be removed and some will replace them right away. That does not indicate in the whole a perfect judgment, does it?
With 270 representatives in a small country such as ours, will good Sen. Enrile still push with his thesis of a 350? Do we see 55 varying themes from the marginalized or under-represented sectors of RP’s realpolitik. Are we to imply that 214 varying themes from the regular district representatives are characterized by ‘class legislations’?
The proverbial “voice” should be placed under some kind of ‘forensic examination and analysis’ as to whether or not it represents anything more than the conventional selfish vested interests. First of all, it may be elemental to ask for a profiling of these new 32 House Members since it might indicate that we have just promoted a ‘tribal growth’ from the same species or class.
There will not be a sea change at all, that is easy to calculate. It will not usher in new genre of legislative measures or policy formulae. If things will be more of the same, it will neither add nor subtract from the predicament most poor people find themselves in. It is like digging a deeper grave for each of us – pray not. What will our children’s future be?
Popularity: 1% [?]
In Westminster, two to three MPs occupy a room. One National Geographic 1986 issue on the British Parliament has this prophetic photo of the young and yuppie Anthony Blair and Gordon Brown sharing a tiny office with another MP. Now history has it now that the Brown stuck the knife on the Blair's back!
Who knows we may have a similar prophetic scene among the sons and daughters of ruling houses?
Build those new Congress people stalls around the National Assembly. They will also experince as Squatters
like those of their constinuents. Some of which are Homeless. Officeless, homeless, who cares…we are going
to the dogs anyway.
Putting it another way blackshama, is this:
A room may have to be shared for a lady congresswoman with a congressman brother.
A congressman with a brother congressman.
A lady congresswoman with a sister congresswoman.
Incumbent congressmen or women from the same party-list.
In other words, everything in our political culture is stretchable especially so that political power is confined within families, within parties, within groups.
The curse of gerrymandering is even an underestatement.
Tasio, most of them do have their own corporate offices. They might as well hold office on their own and go to Congress to attend session which most do anyway. What is in an office anyway?
These times, what matters to most congressmen is on whether there is a ripple in the sea of legislation and that everyone must come to vote – for or against – any proposal.
Felix Muga saw deficiencies in the SC ruling.