HE did not need a college diploma to become the most successful boxer in history, the only 8-division world champion, but he was the happiest graduate of the University of Makati (UMak) last week on its 46th Commencement Exercises.
Sen. Manny Pacquiao received his degree in Political Science Major in Local Government Administration. Abandoned by his father, the good senator started his boxing career while a teenager and left high school to help in the family finances.
He started his college education taking up Business Administration course in Notre Dame of Dadiangas University in GenSan after he was awarded a high-school diploma by the Department of Education. Due to his busy schedule, he later on availed himself of the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program at the UMak, which enabled him to complete college through informal education. Beaming with pride, he said: “There is one thing that I always want them to remember, ‘Never ever give up.’ It is never too late to dream bigger dreams…. Let this victory outside the boxing ring serve as an inspiration for people who are struggling to fight, to rise above adversity, to conquer and to embrace life and all its difficulties.” He concluded by saying that “among my achievements, this will be the most meaningful.” In my books, given the extraordinary feat he has achieved, Manny Pacquiao is a model of perseverance and fortitude to our young. Truly, you are a great champion. Mabuhay ka, Senator Manny.
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Here we go again. Despite several attempts in the past under various presidents since President Fidel V. Ramos, no amendment of the much assailed 1987 Philippine Constitution has ever succeeded. A Charter change, which is more popularly referred to as Cha-cha, aims to introduce reforms to our present Constitution adopted and ratified in 1987 during President Cory Aquino’s time. Notably, Presidents Joseph Estrada, Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo and Rodrigo Roa Duterte had created their Preparatory or Consultative Commission, which had undertaken a study and review of the proposed amendments to our Charter. While President Benigno Aquino III did not form his consultative committee, several initiatives amending the Charter were launched by the members of Congress during his term. It must be recalled that no less than Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. authored a resolution advocating for economic liberalization, which was not taken up on its third reading. The best and the brightest minds of their times from various disciplines were chosen to undertake the difficult task of drafting amendments to guide the constitutional body that will propose revisions to the Charter. Learned and celebrated minds had headed such consultative bodies, such as Chief Justice Andres Narvasa, former UP President Jose V. Abueva, and Chief Justice Reynato Puno but their initiatives and hard work did not prosper. Tinkering with the basic law is a sensitive and delicate task that requires the utmost trust of the sovereign people. The Constitution contains the noblest ideals of the people and embodies their highest aspirations. Such sensitive function should be entrusted only to people with unquestionable motive and unimpeachable character. Pursuant to our Constitution, such amendments may be proposed by way of : 1) a People’s initiative, 2) a Constituent Assembly, or 3) a Constitutional Convention. Note that the 1987 Constitution provided that amendments may be directly proposed by the people through initiative (Article XVII, Section 2). And more important, any amendment must be ratified by a majority vote by the people in a national referendum or plebiscite.
We should credit Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro, chairman of the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments, for introducing the resolution proposing amendments to the Constitution, which was recently approved by the aforesaid committee. The still unnumbered resolution provides for a term of five years subject to a maximum of three terms in office for senators, congressmen and local officials. The current term for senators is six years with a maximum of two consecutive terms. Congressmen and local officials serve for three years with a maximum of three consecutive terms. It also divided the archipelago into nine senatorial regions or districts with each region electing three senators, or a total of 27 senators nationwide.
The President and Vice President shall be voted as a tandem or team, i.e., the vote for the President shall be counted as a vote for his VP similar to the practice in the US. Likewise, the restrictive or protectionist economic provisions found in our Charter will also be amended. Rodriguez explained that this move “will lift all these restrictions so we can pull in more investments in the country [to] provide more jobs.”
It’s not uncommon for people to suspect that the sinister aim of amending the Constitution is to extend the terms of office of the incumbents. In other words, it is just a ploy for greedy elective officials to perpetuate themselves in power, and they sugarcoat their unprincipled design with worthy proposals to make the package palatable. Thus, they include economic liberalization to deal with protectionist provisions in our Charter, which impede foreign investments. What we want to see are amendments that will ban political dynasties, prohibit elected public officials from switching political parties and preventing incumbent officials from benefiting on any term extension in office. Other changes, like the shift from a unitary presidential form of government to a federal state or replacement of presidential form to a parliamentary system, will require extensive discussions and massive consultations. Thus, the public prefers that any constitutional amendment or revision should be effected by means of a Constitutional Convention by delegates duly elected by the people. If we can spend billions to host the SEA Games, we should, likewise, spare no resources to produce a Constitution that will “secure to ourselves and our posterity the blessings of independence and democracy under a regime of law, and a regime of truth, justice, freedom, love, equality and peace.”