CALASIAO – Mayor Roy Macanlalay proved to be a worthy representative of Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. during the launching Thursday of the web-based services of the Bureau of Internal Revenue here insofar as the campaign for a change in the Constitution is concerned.

Macanlalay took the opportunity to talk on the advantages of the proposed parliamentary government over the present presidential system, as though De Venecia himself was around pitching for the Charter change.

The mayor fired off statistics to prove his point: Of 50 developed countries, 48 have parliamentary governments, while only two, the United States, and Norway are under the presidential system. Of 50 most corrupt countries, 45 have presidential system, while only five are parliamentary.

“Kaya hindi lang Pilipinas ang may problema, it’s the system itself,” he said.

Under the present system, the Senate and the House of Representatives are most often in a gridlock, with the Senate, which has a P1.8 billion budget, passing only two laws in 2005.

“Ang mahal naman ng ginastos ng Senado sa pagpasa ng dalawang batas na yan,” he noted.

In a parliamentary system, he said, passage of laws will be much easier and there would be no more coup d’ etat and people power.

In support to the Charter change campaign by De Venecia and his colleagues, local officials are also doing their own signature campaign to push for the people’s initiative move, Macanlalay said.

Series of consultations kicked off starting yesterday, March 25, for people’s signatures in various localities, he added.
The mayor represented the Speaker who could not leave the House until after the passage of the national budget which took place early Friday morning, it was learned. (PIA/DOS)