VP Leni Loud Robredo Needs To Support Constitutional Reform As She Proposes Her Alternatives

Just because I've got a distaste for Vice President Leni Loud Robredo doesn't mean I'll automatically shoot down what she says. When she talked about learning to budget - I'd agree with her ON THAT. Rappler now has a new article where they talk about her suggestions to President Rodrigo R. Duterte as the Philippines battles the COVID-19 or the Legacy Virus. I know she's a pain BUT if she can give useful alternatives then WHY NOT? Though, she still needs to formulate anti-pasaway policies too.

From her proposed solutions - here are areas where I'd really suggest that Leni Loud herself needs to embrace (and also Harry Roque and others) constitutional reform while the pandemic is going on:

• Duterte should continue giving weekly reports
• Announce policies only when all concerned agencies agree on them
• Let the public monitor pandemic funds, loans, and donations
• Be clear with protocols for locally stranded individuals
• Pass the P1.3-trillion Arise Philippines bill into law
• Education policies should be 'empowerment-oriented, empathy-driven'
• Include local government officials and experts in IATF

This is really the time to simply put all the Diehard Duterte Supporters (DDS) and Diehard Dilawans ASIDE. Yes, just because somebody criticizes Duterte doesn't always equal Dilawan. Just because somebody criticizes Leni Loud doesn't always equal DDS. The late Carlos Celdran was anti-Duterte, inappropriately wished Duterte dead, but he had way more credibility than Jover Laurio. Why should Leni support the 3PA right here, RIGHT NOW?

Consider Leni Loud's desire for transparency

If she continues to support the 1987 Constitution then she won't get the transparency she wants. Why do you think the Philippines sucks in its presidential system in contrast to South Korea and Taiwan which are both presidential? South Korea and Taiwan have parliamentary features with the National Assembly and the Legislative Yuan. If she wants a desire for transparency which she suggests that Duterte should give weekly reports, announce policies only when agreed upon, letting public monitor the COVID-19 funds, and including local government officials and experts in IATF then why NOT go for a parliamentary system?

Let's just imagine what if Duterte won as prime minister and Mar Roxas won as the opposition leader. Leni Loud herself would be the deputy opposition leader if the Liberal Party won the opposition seats. Duterte himself would be the prime minister and deduction points for Alan Peter S. Cayetano if ever he becomes trapo as a deputy prime minister. Let's consider how the parliamentary system will put Duterte under the pressure that she wants.

What if both Duterte and Roxas were faced off against each other in a LIVE debate EVERY WEEK. It would be the job of the Opposition to keep the Government on its toes. The Opposition here serves as a Shadow Government where Roxas has his own set of appointees vs. Duterte's own set of appointees. You can imagine the intensity of both sides between the Government and the Opposition. This, in turn, will give Leni Loud what she wants with Duterte having to give a report every week, all agencies will have to agree before policies are given out, there will be public monitoring of funds, clear protocol, and including of local government with IATF actions. The live broadcast will have both sides in a pickle if they're unprepared. Roxas as the Opposition Leader is given his task to collect reports from Duterte. Both sides must collect information from each other. Duterte and Roxas hold each other accountable. What's even better is that these are live broadcasts which will give the public more information. News media must also put these debates into reports too.

The goal of both the Government and the Opposition is to improve overall performance. The Opposition's job is to find holes in the government and offer alternatives. Both must debate their cause in Parliament. For example, Duterte wants to have police help escort COVID-19 patients in crowded areas to the recovery centers. However, Roxas says that it would be better if police were only there to protect while health workers are the ones who would do the job. Both Duterte and Roxas will debate over policies along with their fellow party members. Results are being written in which will ensure that a common good answer is found to come up with a better policy than what both Duterte or Roxas initially offered.

What about passing the PHP 1.3-Trillion Arise Philippines bill?

CoRRECT Philippines does have the right thing to ask how can the Philippine government pay off its debts. PHP 8.6 Trillion or even higher is already accumulated. The question is how are we going to pay it off? The answer that Leni Loud needs to consider is to open up the economy. It's stupid how woketards complain about the Philippines in debt yet they don't want to open up the economy. They keep criticizing the Marcos Years BUT they love protectionism. Isn't it only right that Ferdinand E. Marcos is buried alongside Carlos P. Garcia? 

It's one thing to raise up the VALID issue of debt accumulation. It's another thing to complain without offering alternatives. Many of these wokes wish this and that but can only achieve what they want if it rains gold coins. It's because many of these works only know HOW TO SPEND but not HOW TO EARN. It's because they know NOTHING about economics. Free stuff here and there? What about the money needed to pay for services? Every business NEEDS MONEY to operate. If they want everything for free then they should not complain about having no salaries and bad services. If they say that foreign investment won't help then what's their alternative to paying up the debt? Magic? 

Leni Loud herself being a vice president should go for removing Anti-FDI restrictions. If Franklin Drilon is serious about inviting FDIs then why not remove the restrictions? That's the best way to make it attractive. Removing excessive restrictions against FDI would definitely help pay back the debt the Philippines owes. That's what the post-EDSA years should have done rather than keep whining about the ill-gotten Marcos wealth. Do you think it's that easy to grab back the ill-gotten Marcos wealth or have the Marcoses easily return it? If post-EDSA years got rid of unnecessary FDI restrictions then the foreign debt could've easily been paid. Unfortunately, the framers of the band-aid 1987 Constitution didn't put that into consideration. They didn't realize that they just can't instantly come up with magical solutions to pay off the debt.

How would FDIs help in financing the Philippines? It's common sense that every registered business must pay its taxes. Not everyone is a taxpayer under TRAIN law but businesses are still required to pay its income taxes. It's job providers that produce taxes and not taxes that provide jobs. The BIR doesn't produce jobs since its job is to collect taxes from the job providers. The more registered taxpayers the BIR has the better so why not open up the country to FDI? That means if FDIs want to continue doing business in the Philippines then they must PAY TAXES. It's like if you want to enrich yourself in another person's property then pay your rent. The FDIs don't only provide jobs but also taxable income. They must pay their VAT, quarterly taxes, withholding taxes, and annual income tax if they want to continue to do business even if they won't be bound under 60-40. They are still registered as businesses in the PHILIPPINES. They are obliged to hire FILIPINOS because they are in the Philippines. Whatever income they produce is declared taxable. The government still collects a percentage depending on how much they earn. They would become a new list of taxpayers alongside the local business.