“Salceda’s frustration is not just his own; it’s the collective exasperation of a nation tired of seeing its aspirations interred in the Senate’s graveyard”
In the grim saga of Philippine politics, Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda emerges as the vexed voice cutting through the murky fog of Senate obstructionism.
His scathing indictment, “The Senate is a cemetery for Charter change,” resonates with the frustration of those seeking progress but finding their hopes buried beneath the Senate’s tombstone.
Salceda’s accusation isn’t a casual jab; it’s a thunderous howl against a legislative body that seems allergic to change.
The House, in its attempts at a “systematic and orderly” push for Charter change, faces not just opposition but a graveyard where good ideas go to die.
Salceda’s words are a rallying cry for those tired of witnessing the Senate play undertaker to every prospect of national evolution.
The tale unfolds with the House’s valiant efforts, embodied in Resolution of Both Houses No. 2 (RBH 2), championed by former Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and co-sponsored by Salceda.
This wasn’t a whimsical proposal; it targeted the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution, aiming to breathe life into an antiquated system.
Yet, as if cursed, RBH 2 met its demise in the Senate, a burial ground for aspirations.
Salceda’s frustration echoes in his call for direct people’s involvement through the People’s Initiative (PI).
The House, having witnessed the Senate’s graveyard rituals, opts for a different path. It’s a desperate plea for change, an acknowledgment that the Senate’s catacomb of dissent stifles any systematic progress.
The Bicolano lawmaker’s conditional olive branch suggests a compromise: if the Senate can muster the courage to pass RBH 2, the House would consider it a victory.
A fleeting chance for the Senate to break free from its role as the gravedigger of reform. It’s an offer wrapped in frustration, a plea for collaboration in a graveyard of missed opportunities.
Yet, the response from the Senate is not a reflection on the merits of the proposal but an accusation that the People’s Initiative is “fake” and tainted by bribery and politics.
It’s a cynical counterattack, a desperate attempt to deflect from their own graveyard tendencies.
The Senate’s allegations reek of a fear of losing control, a fear that the people might reclaim the power they entrusted to their representatives.
The world bears witness to countries where constitutional amendments are not entombed in political graveyards.
Nations like Switzerland, where direct democracy empowers citizens to propose and vote on constitutional changes.
The Philippines, shackled by a Senate resistant to reform, stands in stark contrast to these beacons of progress.
Salceda’s cry for direct people involvement aligns with international examples of democratic evolution, where the people hold the key to their constitutional destiny.
One can’t help but see the Senate as a haunted mansion, where the ghosts of past reforms wander, lamenting their untimely demise.
Salceda, the indignant protagonist, bravely confronts the malevolent force that is the Senate, a dark force that clings to the status quo like a vengeful spirit unwilling to release its grip on the living.
In conclusion, Salceda’s frustration is not just his own; it’s the collective exasperation of a nation tired of seeing its aspirations interred in the Senate’s graveyard.
The call for change isn’t a mere desire; it’s a survival instinct, a plea to break free from the shackles of stagnation. The Senate must heed this call, lest it becomes a mausoleum for the dreams of an entire nation.
The post Senate’s graveyard games: Salceda speaks the truth appeared first on Manila Standard.
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