The recent debacle surrounding the unauthorized approval to import 300,000 metric tons of sugar has exposed the vulnerability of the President to the abuses of his subordinates. While the President is endowed with enormous powers, the challenges that confront the President are overwhelming. The Executive branch of government, which the President heads, has tremendously expanded over the years. The number of executive departments has greatly increased with the creation of new cabinet portfolios.
Currently, there are now more than two-dozen executive departments, not to mention the other agencies and several minor offices under the Office of the President. The most recent executive department formed is the Department of Migrant Workers headed by Secretary Toots Ople. And Congress is still contemplating to create a Department of Disaster Resilience to address the perennial problems resulting from the occurrence of calamities.
Under our Constitution, the “President shall have control of all the executive departments, bureaus, and offices.” No question that the office is overburdened and whoever occupies the Office of the President needs help.
The President wields awesome powers to discharge the functions of his office. Unlike in other forms of government where there is a president who merely exercises ceremonial power and a prime minister who wields real power, our presidential form of government clothes our President with the combined powers of the two. The Philippine President fits what American historian Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. described as the “imperial presidency.”
In the words of Supreme Court Justice Irene Cortes in Marcos v. Manglapus (177 SCRA 668), “… the powers of the President cannot be said to be limited only to the specific powers enumerated in the Constitution. In other words, executive power is more than the sum of specific powers so enumerated.”
What then are the specific powers given to the President under the Constitution? Article VII, Executive Department of the 1987 Constitution, specifies the powers of the President. The late SC Justice and foremost constitutionalist Isagani A. Cruz enumerates them as follows: the appointing power, the removal power, the control power, the “take-care” power, the military power, the pardoning power, the borrowing power, the diplomatic power, the budgetary power, the informing power and others. His powers are vast and limited only by laws and the Constitution. For instance, appointments of certain officials of the government may require the confirmation of the Commission on Appointments. Likewise, other officials, although appointed by the President like the members of the SC and the constitutional commissions and the Ombudsman, may only be removed by impeachment pursuant to Article XI of the Constitution.
Under the “take-care” clause, the President takes care that all laws are faithfully implemented until and unless they are declared unconstitutional. One of his extraordinary powers is that “the President is the Commander-In-Chief of all armed forces of the Philippines and whenever it becomes necessary, he may call out such armed forces to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion or rebellion.”
The President cannot just delegate his duties and transfer powers to his subordinates unlike the Chief Executive of a private corporation. The cabinet members may be his alter egos but they are totally under the control of the President. All the President’s men that he appointed should be loyal to the President. They are installed to their position to work for the President, not to promote their own ends to serve their personal political interest. Needless to mention, every decision or government policy of significant import to our country and people should be decided at Malacañang or with the approval and knowledge of the President. The cabinet can vet them and make recommendations to the President but should not decide for the President. Otherwise, the latter will appear weak and a mere figurehead before his own people. A weak President will not command the respect and attention of his constituents. He will be a pushover and will be disrespected by his own cabinet.
Afraid that his President husband would not be noticed when US President James Polk would enter a room, Mrs. Sarah Polk, the First Lady, ordered the Marine Band to play “Hail to the Chief” every time the President showed up for a big official function.
The presidency is the hardest and most complex job in the world. That’s why the President needs competent and expert help to manage the difficult affairs of government. While he wields tremendous powers, any excessive use or abuse of the same can be checked by Congress and the Judiciary in the exercise of the principle of checks-and-balances and the system of separation of powers. For instance, an opposition Congress can thwart the President’s legislative agenda or reject his appointments, and a vigilant Judiciary can check executive actions and policies that are deemed unlawful and unconstitutional.
While tapping the services of technocrats and public servants with proven track record to assist the President in his gargantuan job is commendable, the President himself must possess the basic qualities and virtues that would make him an effective leader. He must have wisdom and prudence to make the right decisions. They may be unpopular but he must have the courage to stand and fight for them. This would require an independent mind unbeholden to any party with vested interest or hidden agenda. He must have passion and commitment to pursue his vision and program of government. Most of all, he must be a person of integrity and accountability. He values honor and truth and accepts responsibility when he is at fault. He despises corruption and demagogues in government.
The President’s veto of a couple of bills enacted by Congress showed his independence, and his nullification of the resolution adopted by the Sugar Regulatory Administration and the censure of the officials behind it demonstrated his decisiveness to prevent a government irregularity. However, its investigation should continue and be pursued to its logical conclusion.
The President may be surrounded by worthy members of the cabinet like Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Neda Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, BSP Governor Felipe Medalla, DTI Secretary Alfredo Pascual, and others, but he cannot leave everything to his cabinet and completely rely on them for decision and action. They may recommend, but the final decision on critical issues should rest on him.
Our President practically grew up in Malacañang and is thoroughly familiar with the exercise of power. And most importantly, he should learn from the lessons of the first Marcos administration. Our President should keep in mind and remember that “without making mistakes, there won’t be lessons learned. Without getting hurt there won’t be knowledge gained. The only way to grow is by learning from the past.” We all want the President to prosper because we’re all winners if he succeeds.