Opinion: No Urgency in Amending PH Constitution; Amendments Weaken Institutions of Government; More Urgent Problems, Like Inflation, Need Actions By Manuel L. Caballero

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ON MY WATCH

By MANUEL L. CABALLERO

NO URGENCY IN AMENDING PH CONSTITUTION; AMENDMENTS WEAKEN INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT; MORE URGENT PROBLEMS, LIKE INFLATION, NEED ACTIONS

Four previous administrations in the Philippines attempted, but failed, to amend  its Constitution. Public opinion was against it. It is an accepted political  doctrine that constitutional amendments weaken the institutions of government, especially if the changes are for the interest of the few and not  of the many.

The Marcos Jr.  administration and its virtual rubber stamp House of Representatives have been spending time and money in its desire to amend the fundamental law of the land.

Instead of working to solve the more serious problems in various areas  of life in the country,  particularly the many who are poor,  congressmen are spending too much time, even going around the country for consultations, in this cha cha effort. Many believe, there is no need, much less urgency, in changing the carefully framed 1987 PH Constitution.

One serious problem, just one, that is punishing Filipinos that badly demands and requires the attention of policy makers is inflation.

"Inflation is the rate of increase in prices over a given period of time. Inflation is typically a broad measure, such as the overall increase in prices or the increase in the cost of living in a country."

Bhoy Dueñas, my FB friend, who is a teacher in the Visayas, and to me, seems to be smarter than his country's secretary of education, sent the following monthly rates of inflation increase since   Bongbong Marcos, Jr. became president:

June 6.1%

July 6.4%

August 6.3%

September 6.9 %

October 7.7%

November 8.0%

December 8.1%

January 8.7%

February 9.3%

I can't blame Bhoy Dueñas when he commented, "Tapos solution ng mga Walang hiyang Leaders Charter Change!"

Indeed, the Marcos, Jr. administration, should focus on programs that will directly help  poor Filipinos by  fighting inflation like what the Joe Biden administration is doing. Mr.  Biden's  economic managers are zeroing in on how to lower inflation rate. 

I notice that the Marcos, Jr.  team is more concerned  on how to increase gross  domestic product or GDP, apparently, so it may shout that his (BBM's) is "the fastest growing economy" in South East Asia.

GDP is "the total of all economic activity in one country, regardless of who owns the productive assets." A  country's GDP includes the profits of a foreign firm located in that country even if they are remitted to the firm's parent company in another country.

So, if the profits of foreign companies are not used to help the local population,  except for salaries of their workers and other overhead expenses,  high GDP rate is more for propaganda than helping the local people.

The BBM administration should re-direct its programs away from making 'yabangs' (braggings) and charter change, to projects that will help directly the poor and working Filipinos.

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