IS there a compelling reason to change the 1987 Constitution at this time?
Philippine Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia recently declared that the Philippines has one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia after China’s and Vietnam’s, with our GDP growing 6.7 percent in 2017 and expected to grow at a faster 6.9 percent this year.
Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III also sees greater economic activity with the Duterte administration unrolling an P8.44-trillion infrastructure spending plan until 2022.
“As I said last year, there will be a more exciting growth narrative for the Philippines this 2018, more so now that all of the government’s plans to keep the country among the world’s fastest-growing economies have started falling into place,” Dominguez said in a statement.
It’s not just government propaganda.
Moody’s Investor Service, which rates Philippine sovereign debt at investment grade, has also said the Philippines will be among Southeast Asia’s “standout” economies this year, along with Vietnam.
Nomura senior economist for Southeast Asia, Euben Paracuelles, also agrees with the optimistic forecast, saying the impact from tax reforms, infrastructure building and higher consumption could only lead to more economic growth in 2018.
So why amend the Charter right now when the economy is doing so good and the Philippines is one of the hottest prospects in the Asia Pacific region, if not the world?
Why is Congress, specifically the House of Representatives, trying to ram Charter change down our throats?
If the Philippines has enjoyed strong economic growth even without Charter change, to borrow a popular adage from the Americans, “Why fix something that ain’t broke?”
If the Duterte administration is working wonders for the economy, why not allow it to work some more and ride its momentum before even thinking of tinkering with the Constitution?
Besides, is there really any solid evidence that proves the nationality restrictions in our Constitution are what really impede the influx of foreign investments?
And is it written in stone that shifting our form of government from a unitary-presidential form to a federal-parliamentary form would deliver our country from all government evils?
The resulting political noise Charter change moves would create prior to actually being able to implement these changes is bound to do more harm before good, more harm that we don’t need at this time.
It is simply bad timing to push for Charter change when most Filipinos are more worried about getting jobs and putting food on their tables.
Charter change will not alleviate these worries. Good governance could, and good governance is possible even without Charter change. It only takes our government officials’ commitment to their Constitutional oath that public service is public trust.
We need more jobs and opportunities, our best bets for a sustainable democracy and economic development.
We need less corruption, which drains billions from the public coffers that would otherwise go to social services and infrastructure.
We need strong public institutions, the enforcement of justice, the observance of due process and human rights.
We need to lower electricity costs.
We need to do away with wishy-washy state policies.
The Duterte administration seems well on its way to making a dent on these problems right now, even without Charter change.
James Carville had coined the phrase “it’s the economy, stupid” as part of Bill Clinton’s successful 1992 presidential campaign against then sitting US President George H. W. Bush.
Again, if our economy is doing great with this supposedly outdated and archaic 1987 Constitution at this time, then why change it?
We are already moving into a cycle of sustained and inclusive growth because of the Duterte administration’s emphasis on good governance and prudence in fiscal management.
Do we really want to break this momentum with Charter change proposals that will surely be met with protests on the streets and tedious debates in Congress?
Our answer is no.
Image credits: Jimbo Albano