Singapore's Parliamentary System Shows How They're Handling COVID-19 Better Than The Philippines

It's really a shame that the Philippines didn't shift to the parliamentary. It's a shame really that the 1987 Constitution wasn't framed as a Federal-Parliamentary Constitution but only came to be a band-aid solution against the mock "parliamentary" of the Marcos Years. Even EDSA proved one thing - the late Corazon "Cory" Cojuangco-Aquino was fitter to be a ceremonial figure than the actual ruler of the country. Cory was the unifying figure during EDSA - not the architect or the mastermind of the fall of the dictatorial regime. If anything, Fidel V. Ramos was fitter to be the prime minister. Later, Fidel V. Ramos tried to change the constitution (again) but was blocked again by naysayers. Now, the COVID-19 proves that Hilarious Davide's indeed DEAD WRONG about the 1987 Constitution as the "best in the world".

The recent problem is the current presidential system with the president and the vice president from two OPPOSING PARTIES

This is the big problem right now when the president and vice president come from two opposing parties. Again, I don't have a problem if Vice President Leni Loud Robredo criticizes President Rodrigo R. Duterte. However, the Duterte-Robredo platform is becoming more and more evident that the presidential system isn't working. For one, there's a government but no real opposition. The "opposition" is really nothing more than an informal force. What do we get? Both Duterte and Leni Loud are having their own press conferences. Leni Loud's "physical presence" is now more notable than her giving solutions. I'm wondering can Angat Buhay not operate without Leni Loud around or can it? If so, Leni Loud can't even delegate authority if that's the case.

Before one keeps throwing eggs at Leni Loud (or Duterte) - we need to look at what encourages clownish behavior in the first place. Granted, Leni Loud actually was a legislator for some time. Leni Loud actually is an economics graduate. However, Leni Loud became a clown ever since she became the vice president. If the brain isn't used then you can expect it to ROT. People voted for Mar Roxas and Bam Aquino back then for their brains. Nobody can deny Roxas has a good track record. Bam himself is also an awarded entrepreneur - something I can only dream of becoming. However, the presidential system ended up eating the brains of people. Leni Loud herself is no exemption to the rule. 

How would the parliamentary system actually fix that problem like Singapore did?

A real parliamentary system is defined by having the head of state, the head of the government, and the head of the opposition. The government is the majority bloc and the opposition is the minority bloc. Democracy isn't defined as a government of the majority, by the majority, and for the majority. Instead, democracy is a government of the PEOPLE, by the PEOPLE, and for the PEOPLE. The minority is part of the people. The opposition represents the voice of the minority and their right to be heard. It's because while the majority wins - the minority is given the chance to prove itself worthy in competition to the majority. There are more balanced views between the majority and the minority. It's because we want a real exchange of ideas.

Leni Loud herself had good proposals last year. I'm not going to dismiss Leni Loud just because I'm a Duterte supporter. In fact, I'm actually glad that Leni Loud decided to say something useful. One of her proposals which I can agree with is that Duterte needs to give weekly reports. However, the great dilemma Leni Loud is in is that she's holding a government position while the Liberal Party is in the opposition. However, a parliamentary system will give a real, clearer platform. Instead, the parliamentary system will set the roles of PDP-Laban (Government) and the Liberal Party (Opposition). 

Singapore is doing better for one good reason - it's more than just good leaders. The late Jesse Robredo said that it isn't enough to have good leaders - we must have a system that forces them to do good. The bigger problem with Leni Loud and the Liberal Party is not them but the system. If the system forces them to do good then I think they would really do good. I don't think the late Noynoy Aquino would be saying, "Eh di wow!" or "Hindi ko alam!" if he were the prime minister. As prime minister, Noynoy would've probably been more careful especially when he's scrutinized by the opposition. Noynoy would've probably resigned over SAF-44. Just imagine if Noynoy was scrutinized by the opposition ever week and would've to defend his stand LIVE on television. I don't think mistakes during Noynoy's administration would've been that much. Scrutiny would've also forced Joseph Pabaya to do a better job as the Minister of Transportation and Butcher Abad would need to be more transparent as the Minister of Finance. Also, Duterte if he were prime minister would need to watch his mouth during the weekly question hour. Duterte would also be forced to be more transparent as well. There's no special exemption.

Now, let's just imagine if Duterte were prime minister and Leni Loud was the opposition leader instead. Let's just imagine that Noynoy were the opposition leader but his position was cut short by death itself. Noynoy died as the opposition leader and was the former prime minister. Due to death, the Liberal Party as the opposition decided to put Leni Loud as their new leader. Now, #OneMoreTermForPNoy becomes #LetLeniLead for the opposition. Now, the more clear position is that Duterte as the prime minister leading the PDP-Laban is now under the scrutiny of Leni Loud. Leni Loud herself now can truly get weekly reports from Duterte in contrast to the recent system. Instead, there's a massive press conference for both sides to show who's better. 

For example, Duterte gives his weekly reports and there will be lapses. Now, Leni Loud and her group are obligated to find the holes in the reports. It's because the job of the opposition in the parliamentary is to question and hold the government accountable. Can you imagine if Duterte was held accountable by Leni Loud every week? That would really and probably have kept Leni Loud's mind healthy and sharp in contrast to the presidential system. It's because Leni Loud needs to really be ready for every weekly question hour if she expects to stay in Parliament. But not only that - Leni Loud has the help of the Shadow Ministers. For example, Minister of Health Francisco Duque will have to really answer for his lapses against any Shadow Minister of Health from the Liberal Party. This would really put PDP-Laban at better steps. For instance, if Vitaliano Aguirre II was fouling up as the Minister of Justice then chances of him getting a new position won't be there. Instead, the current system even allowed Aguirre to get a position AGAIN because there's no policy against them.

Is it really a coincidence that the top ten countries in the world are parliamentary? Nope. Instead, the parliamentary system is encouraging the leaders of those countries (which includes SINGAPORE) is now putting to do better. The late Lee Kuan Yew was always faced with the opposition during his rather long reign. The opposition prevented Lee from becoming a tyrant. Instead, Lee became the man who made Singapore, Singapore. The Marcos Years weren't a real parliament either. If the Marcos Regime was a parliament then the late Ninoy Aquino could've been the opposition leader and challenge the late Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. as prime minister. Marcos could've been overthrown by a vote of no confidence. Instead, Marcos' "parliamentary" was described to be nothing more than a mockery. Ninoy's very statements were verified (indirectly) by Lee in his book From Third World to First when Cesar Virata was revealed to be just a sitting duck. 

This is really proof that constitutions DO MATTER. True, the 1987 Constitution is open for amendment. However, the real problem is the system itself. The constitution isn't an infallible set of rules but rather a fallible set of rules subject to correction. Want to imitate Singapore's success? It's time to get a new constitution in place of the defective current system.