In the second half of this year, when the mud throwing and name calling were on the wane, the winning LP wanted to insert the last words of the post-election verbal tussles before they were allowed the proverbial honeymoon period. As always, in our Pilipino brand of juvenile and foolish politics, sharp rejoinders were expected.
It all started when LP director general Chito Gascon accused Senator Loren Legarda, the VP candidate under the NP party of Villar as a “political butterfly” – one who flutters from one political party to another – advancing her personal political agenda.
This elicited a quick retort from the NPC spokesman Rex Gatchalian:
“Let me stress that Gascon should not look that far when he is looking for a political butterfly. In fact, he can find it right in their own backyard at the LP.
What can he say about LP vice presidential bet Senator Mar Roxas? Is he not a political butterfly?"
Roxas' entry into government was when he was appointed Trade Secretary of then President Joseph Estrada (PMP and former KBL).
He was also one of the first to call for Estrada's resignation when the impeachment proceeding against him came.
The senator then joined the Arroyo administration again as Trade Secretary, but turned his back on Arroyo at the height of allegations of electoral fraud.
"Wasn’t that a classic case of political opportunism and butterfly-ism?” Gatchalian added, referring to Roxas.
This exchange of barbs between immature and silly party spokespersons, remind me of a children’s story of the kettle calling the pot black.
In a not so polite society, the exploits of Legarda and Roxas can thus be described as “political prostitution”.
With my apologies to the practitioners of the oldest profession on earth, these types of politicians have long perfected the art of selling their wares, but at the same time projecting their sanctimoniousness to the Public.
This sordid spectacle keeps repeating itself every change in an administration since the time we became a Republic. This has to change – and a host of others in this country.
At this point let me interpose the Centrist Democratic Philosophy that defines us – we, its adherents.
This is not a new concept. It is a relatively mature one with its roots firmly planted in its unique philosophy of governance. It has thrived well in most politically and economically advanced countries in the world, particularly in Germany and some countries in Europe.
It has been introduced here by some of the Filipino political stalwarts and has permeated the political fabric of the nation through the Christian/Muslim-based political movements in the 1960’s.
The Centrist Democratic orientation is anchored on respect for “Human Dignity”. This is our core value.
Political, economic and social order must be so logically designed that the dignity of each person is protected and promoted.
An atmosphere of freedom is a prerequisite upon which Human dignity is enhanced. Self-determination by each individual, an essential component, is the impetus for collective expression towards the development of a just society. And for society to prosper, it must make available to each individual the needed ingredients for a decent life.
The Centrist Democratic Movement therefore holds these essential sets of canons: 1. We must help to build up strong and sustainable political parties; 2. We must strive to create a truly functioning Democracy and the Rule of law; 3. We must endeavor to establish a thriving Social Market Economy; and 4. We must work for the adoption and practice the principle of subsidiarity in all structures of governance.
I Political Party Reforms The previous anecdote on the LP/NP verbal skirmish was just a symptom of how our brand of party politics have sunk and remained in the political gutter. Now, let us strip this imagery of its garish colors and situate it within the context of the Centrist Democratic tenets we hold dear. What are these?
“Political Parties are the primary vehicles to gain political power by engaging themselves in political contests, primarily elections.
The members and their leadership are expected to adhere to a set of principles and strategies written in a platform unique to that party. This espousal of a vision of governance defines the ideological identity of that party – and therefore, the electorate must be permitted a patent choice – as to who must govern them - based on what the candidates and their respective parties stand for.”
Membership in Philippine political parties is cursory at best. Members don’t pay dues and don’t have a real stake in them. Funds are personal contributions by the self-proclaimed candidates and party big wigs and members of the oligarchy. They therefore dictate who runs and what programs and platforms to present to the voters.
Our political parties do not provide a clear procedure for nominating candidates nor do they provide for the membership to influence programs and platforms that are to be articulated by their candidates.
Patronage politics is a major contribution to abandoning one’s party. Political manna flows incessantly from the winning regime. Such is the perverted centralized system we have today.
Also we have not evolved a system of sanctions and rewards for political leaders to hold on to a political party.
What is our response to this?

The Centrist Agenda           *We expect our political leaders to articulate for us, as our representatives, our hopes and aspirations for a better life. These expectations are to be crafted by the leadership and lodged in a political party and translated into a party platform, distinguishable from each, so that we, the electorate, may differentiate between them even before their leadership are gifted the privilege to govern.           *Mechanisms to correct these infirmities must be fashioned to be able to select or nominate the ones whom the citizens can vote for. In most democracies today, political parties have devised a nominating process.           *Constant feedback is needed from the populace for these representatives to understand the changing realities on the ground; these representatives must conduct continuous dialogue with the populace and the institutions that govern them between campaign periods.           *It must have its own rules to govern its internal democracy for members to abide by and should be the training ground for the leaders of the Country.           *Once elected, the representatives must exercise power consistently based on the philosophy of governance and values embedded and are articulated unequivocally on the written platform of the political party from whence they were elected.           *In more politically mature countries, the elected office holder losses his position when he abandons his party and the party in turn has the option to replace him with a member of good standing.           *Adopting this mechanism and a host of other methods and procedures by enacting laws on political party reforms may compel a drastic change in our political mind set. This can only benefit the governed in the long run.

II Democracy and the Rule of Law The decision making process in a society defines the kind of government allowed by its populace. In a democracy intelligent choice by the citizenry is an indispensable prerequisite for the leadership’s ascendancy to legitimate political - power and the attendant privilege to govern – and that choice carries with it an implicit covenant with and the consent of - the governed.
The leaders therefore govern upon the sole acquiescence of those who voted them to power and they must govern following a set of laws that recognizes all are within the law and none above.
This is the essence of democracy. But democracy can’t exist without the rule of law which is a system that attempts to protect the rights of citizens from arbitrary and abusive use of government powers.
This is not entirely the reality in the Philippine setting. The rule of law is weak - laws are not always implemented; the judicial system and institutions are very dependent on the ruling power and government; human rights violations are rampant. (Our country has gained notoriety as having the most number of journalists killed).
This weakness is traceable to the flaws in the way we choose those who we allow to govern us. Former Justice Renato Puno, in one of his speeches declared: “I like to stress the failure of our electoral system to excise the virus of the politics of patronage that has infected our so called elections…xxx…This vicious politics of patronage has allowed few oligarchs and bosses to rule us from colonial times to post-colonial times and their rule has brought us nothing but a facade of democracy, its mirage but not its miracle.”
In all these elections, what dominates are the agenda of the oligarchy, those moneyed few, the political dynasties, clans and cabals who get their candidates elected. These realities therefore allow legitimate capture of state institutions by these few. They build on this and perpetuate themselves in power, positions and wealth. Any threat is met by these dynasts using state institutions to protect their prerogatives. (A recent example is the Maguindanao/Ampatuan Massacre and we have just observed the 1st morbid anniversary).
They are then in a position to use the tools to further pervert democracy by corruption, intimidation and blockage of any institutional and procedural changes or political reforms inimical to their interests.
What is our response to this?

The Centrist Agenda           * We seek to address the imperfections in the electoral system to expand the participation of people in the decision making process to truly put in place the right people who must govern us. Simply put, we demand that a real representative government be established by providing the citizenry the mechanisms for legitimate changes, involving not only electing their representatives but even the choices of who these candidates should be.           * This necessitates the development of distinguishable set of philosophy of governance lodged in real political parties. Program oriented 11political movements (like the CDM) and political parties with a strong membership base must play a central role in the political process, reducing the focus on single dominant personalities in the elections and other political processes – and even within the internal mechanisms of political parties themselves.           * We seek to reform the centrally based government, the executive, the judiciary and legislative bodies enabling them to be truly independent from each other and strengthen the judicial system thereby hopefully reducing the influence of the oligarchy.           * These fundamental reforms can best be achieved through the improvement of the Philippine Constitution.

III Social Market Economy By nature, markets are not totally free and perfect arbiter of prices - but the Philippine market is especially “unfree”. Philippine Economy is controlled by a few powerful monopolies, cartels and conglomerates distorting the competition in their favor; intimidate and oppress the few competitors and make the market hostile for entrance of newcomers and their flowering. As a consequence:           * Less capitalized individuals not attached to families controlling large segment of the economy have less chances entering the market;           * Productivity and competitiveness are lower in the country compared to our neighbors in Asia;           * We can’t grow our wealth to provide the means available for social security and income distribution for the benefit of the disadvantaged and weaker members of society; and           * We do not have enough means for providing good education, health care and work opportunities for the citizenry.
What is our response to this?

The Centrist Agenda           * We need to establish a well-functioning market economy free from distortions and unfair practices by allowing a strong state to protect its

integrity.
          * Open the markets to free entrance and exit of competitors and allow the greater majority of our populace to earn their living through the market process.           * Create a stable, healthy, legal and political framework by a strong and responsible state.           * Institute a functioning social justice and social security systems for the enhancement of human dignity for all its citizens including the weak ones.           * Institutionalize sustainable development that will protect the environment as a precondition for the future generations’ enjoying the benefits of that environment. This necessitates a responsible production and consumption process built in the market through clear rules, incentives and sanctions by a strong responsible state.

IV Principle of Subsidiarity The Philippine Government Structure concentrates too much power in central government and a highly centralized bureaucracy. Most of the decisions that affect the lives of the citizenry are embedded, legally and constitutionally although abnormally, in the executive department or the Presidency. So many concerns are passed on to the attention of the chief executive unnecessarily - paralyzing the office in the process.
The system of centralized and concentrated power dictates a creation of inefficient structures. With 76 provinces, 60 cities, 1500 towns and municipalities and 300,000 barangays to oversee, the executive department have to resort to interim and sometimes confusing and duplicating configurations – regional councils, districts, commissions, etc.; and the citizens are not allowed to decide on matters that will affect directly their own lives – and therefore they are not responsible for these actions by government and they have no clear stake in them.
What is our response to this?

The Centrist Agenda           * Self-determination and being in control of their lives are the features of reverence for human dignity. Involvement therefore in the decision making process in a community augments a healthy political life.           * The Principle of Subsidiarity dictates that the power for taking decisions shall rest on the lowest level structure in order for people, as much as possible, to decide for themselves what must affect them – or at least allow them to influence such decisions.           * Where the lower levels of the administrative structure cannot solve problems of that level, the higher echelons shall support them but not take the responsibility away from them.           * For these to be accomplished, central governments must decentralized these competencies to local governments; strengthening of local self-administration are hallmarks of good governance.

CONCLUSION: I have just given you, in 30 minutes or so, the philosophy behind the CDM – which have taken our predecessors – Raul Manglapus, Magsaysay, Manahan, the German 19th century Christian ideologues years to work. This is not yet perfect– and will never be. This is forever going to be a work in progress.
And better for you – because you will be part of the crafting of ideas that can serve your constituents – the Pilipino people.
At this point, I ask the last question:
“Why are you invited here?”
The answer is: because, you are the SUCCESSOR GENERATION! Whether you like it or not, you, the youth and young professionals will now assume and share the responsibilities for yourselves and for your fellow citizens. You can initiate changes in the political firmament to bring about good governance and eventually the progress of our society – or permit the conditions to fester. This is now your choice.
Our generation may have failed you. But in such disasters contain the seeds of a possible redemption. In the four decades in political technocracy we made colossal errors but we tried to correct them. You can learn from them.
Make new mistakes if you must – but don’t make the same mistakes we did.
You are the SUCCESSOR GENERATION. Our AVATARS.
Use the technology in vogue. Find the space to work with one another and perhaps…just perhaps…decide that political technocracy after all, can be woven onto your daily lives – as I did to mine.
Work among yourselves and make a difference.
In fact we want you to engage in a higher level –a collision of ideas, a rivalry for your dreams –so that what emerges eventually is the best one - one that must ultimately benefit the Filipino.
My young comrades, in your political journey ahead - be focused - live straight and learn well.
Thank you.

Bulacan BOS-CDM November 28, 2010