How will I choose the 15th President of the Republic of the Philippines-Part I

>> Monday, February 15, 2010

( English with Tagalog only)

  Living in Japan for 16 years now, you may think that I do not care to what is happening in the Phillipines - my home country. Nope, you're wrong. Although I have a comfortable life in Japan, I can not help but mind the Philippines political and economical situation. No matter how busy I am - I always make time to read newspapers (thanks to the online editions of various newspapers and thanks to blackberry!) to be updated to the current events in my country. No matter how time is precious for a full-time working mommy of 2 kids who works in a workaholic land and no matter how expensive it is to live in the world's most expensive city - I always try to find ways how I can help my country - at the most that I can.
  And now, thru the National Election to be held in May 10, 2010, I hope my "one vote" could make a difference...
  I remember I got excited in the 1992 National Election because of this formidable woman (who else but Miriam Defensor Santiago ) who I thought could be the best president of the Philippines, I was in my 2nd year Engineering course then at Mapua and unfortunately, wasn't an eligible voter yet :(
  Now, at 35, this would be my third time to exercise my sole right (
suffrage) as a Filipino. Well, I should have had 2 opportunities, but actually missed one for I was not able to vote in the 1998 Election (suppose to be my 1st) because I left the Philippines in 1994 to study in Japan through the Japanese Goverment Scholarship.
In the 2004 National Election, I finally had my first voting experience through the Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV). I voted the late good man Raul Roco. He ended up 5th in the race. I truly believe that he deserved to become a President and that he will become a good President. I never regretted I had voted for him, however, I regret myself for doing nothing for his campaign. So, in this 2010 National Election, I will never miss an opportunity to campaign for the presidential candidate I will choose. 
  But how should we choose our president? Lalo na sa mga 1st time voters. Kung sino ang popular? Kung sinong matalino? Kung sino ang hindi corrupt? Kung sino ang pro-mahirap? Kung sino ang may nagawa na? Kung sino ang nagsipag at nagtyaga?
  Bago ang lahat, may we ask ourselves this question - "Ano-ano nga ba ang mga katungkulan o nararapat gawin ng pamahalan partikular ng pangulo para sa estado ayon sa ating Konstitusyon ng sa ganon, alam ko kung ano ang dapat kong i-expect mula sa kanya? Bilang mamamayan, ano nga ba ang gusto ko or vision ko para sa Pilipinas?"
  Ayon sa ANG 1987 KONSTITUSYON NG REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS:
Article II PAHAYAG NG MGA SIMULAIN AT MGA PATAKARAN NG ESTADO(Statement of Aims and Policies of the State)
(Excerpt)
SEKSYON 4. Ang pangunahing tungkulin ng pamahalaan ay paglingkuran at pangalagaan ang sambayanan...
SEKSYON 7-28 MGA PATAKARAN NG ESTADO
SEKSYON 9. Dapat itaguyod ng Estado ang makatwiran at dinamikong kaayusang panlipunan na titiyak sa kasaganaan at kasarinlan ng bansa at magpapalaya sa sambayanan laban sa kahirapan
SEKSYON 10. Dapat itaguyod ng Estado ang katarungang panlipunan sa lahat ng mga yugto ng pambansang pagpapaunlad.
SEKSYON 15. Dapat itaguyod at pangalagaan ng Estado ang karapatan sa kalusugan ng mga mamamayan at ikintal ang kamalayang kalusugan sa kanila.
SEKSYON 16. Dapat pangalagaan at isulong ng Estado ang karapatan ng sambayanan sa timbang at kanais-nais na ekolohiya nang naaayon sa aluy-oy at tugma ng kalikasan.
SEKSYON 17. Dapat mag-ukol ng prayoridad ang Estado sa edukasyon, agham, at teknolohiya, mga sining, kultura at pampalakasan
For the full reading of all the sections in the Article II, please refer to
in Filipino: ANG 1987 KONSTITUSYON NG REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS
in English: THE 1987 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
  Take note na ang "Pamahalaan ng Pilipinas" ay binubuo ng 3 kagawaran (department) : Tagapagpaganap (Executive), Tagapagbatas (Legislative) at Panghukuman (Judicial). For a better understanding - please refer to the image "Philippine government structure".
  Samakatuwid - ang ating ibobotong presidente ay sa executive department. Ang mga mayors, governors ay executive rin. Ang cabinet secretaries ay ganoon rin pero sila ay hindi binoboto - they are appointed by the president with consent of the Commission On Appoitments. Yung mga Congressman at Senators ay sa Legislative department na gumagawa o nagaakada ng mga batas. So, ano ba ang tungkulin ng Presidente? I was trying to find a good source but cannot find one - yung tipo sanang madali lang maintindihan, so let me just copy and paste the following from the CONSTITUTION:
Artikulo(Article) VII Ang Tagapagpaganap (The executive Department)
SEKSYON 17. Ang Pangulo ay dapat magkaroon ng kontrol sa lahat ng mga kagawarang tagapagpaganap, mga kawanihan, at mga tanggapan. Dapat niyang seguruhin ang matapat na pagpapatupad ng mga batas.(The President shall have control of all the executive departments, bureaus, and offices. He shall ensure that the laws be faithfully executed. )
SEKSYON 18. Dapat maging Commander-in-Chief ng lahat ng mga sandatahang lakas ng Pilipinas ang Pangulo at ...(The President shall be the Commander-in-Chief of all armed forces of the Philippines and ...)
 For the full reading of all the sections in the Article VII, please refer to
in Filipino: ANG 1987 KONSTITUSYON NG REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS
in English: THE 1987 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
So, if my understanding is correct, the job of the president are:
(1)Chief-executive ng Executive department na isa sa mga sangay ng pamahalaan na may tungkuling paglingkuran at pangalagaan tayong sambayanan gaya ng nasasaad sa Article II ng ating konstitusyon in terms of health, education,etc, etc,. Dapat siguraduhin ng Presidente ang matapat na pagpapatupad ng mga batas
and
(2)Commander-in-chief of all armed forces of the Philippines
  So based on the above definition of the "President", how would you choose your president? Actually, I got this question from Mr. Rey's blog "How will you choose your next President". I agree with most of what he has described, but I decided to publish one according to my preferences.


Here's How will I choose my President.





1 comments:

Reyjr March 2, 2010 at 9:00 AM  

Thank you for the mention! :) I salute you for exercising your rights as a voter in the Philippines despite your being away from home. My father is an OFW as well. :)

copyright by La Editha

  © Blogger templates Palm by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP