Today is the centennial of the First Philippine Assembly, and thus of our present House of Representatives. It is also the 91st anniversary of the Philippine Senate.
Contemporary accounts of the inauguration of these two legislative chambers can be found in the Philippines Free Press blog: First Session of the Philippine Assembly, October 16, 1907 and Inauguration of the Senate, October 16, 1916.
Three later glimpses of the House (including its incarnation as the National Assembly): Last of the 100 days, May 27, 1939 and The Long Week, February 7, 1970 and The Philippine Congress, which I co-wrote with Teodoro Locsin, Jr.
Technorati Tags: history, House of Representatives, philippines, politics, society
The Sotto Law(RA 53)
“The Sotto Law, also known as the Press Freedom Law, is aimed precisely to protect press freedom and keep irate politicians from intimidating journalists and their sources if they do not like what they read,†the NUJP (The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines)pointed out.
“Protection of confidential sources of information is also an obligation for journalists and key to getting informants to come forward,†it added. “This is particularly important in uncovering, among others, corruption in government.â€Â
“If the Press Freedom Law is repealed or weakened, sources would be deterred from coming forward and the public would remain uninformed about vital matters,†the statement said.
“The fact that these shameful actions are being initiated by senators, who should know that protection of journalists’ sources is an essential part of press freedom, makes it even more reprehensible,†it said.
The SOTTO Law (RA 53) was authored by Senator Vicente Sotto in 1946. The law protects “The publisher, editor, columnist or duly accredited reporter of any newspaper, magazine or periodical of general circulation.
What a way to celebrate a Centennial of the House. Filled to the brim with “cash gifts”. From a once upon a time House of Respect to a House of Ill Repute.
So now I will celebrate the House Centennial in my fashion. Now is the opportune time to send a letter to my Congressman to ask him whether he received that “cash gift†from Malacanang and what he has done or will do with the money. I am pretty sure he received it. Time to confront him.
Gloria’s Congressmen have been her saviors for the past three impeachment tries. They are the culprits. It is now time to put the pressure on these disreputable lot.
In the next couple of months there will be more largesse from the Palace. This time for the Cha Cha and the Federalism diversionary issues.
Next year another impeachment case. Congressmen will feign to impeach her again unless Gloria comes up with another bountiful “cash giftâ€Â. It is time to focus on these despicable House of Ill Repute. It is they who shield her. It is they who mock the public. It is time to confront my Congressman.
And now Gloria wants to have a JELAC. The LEDAC is not good enough for her. This time she wants the Judiciary in on her side of the court.
The wily one would complete her shield of accomplices/scapegoats. Chief Justice Puno is getting drawn into a trap. He should shield the Judiciary from the tentacles of the Executive.
Let her do her thing. That’s the reason she has the DOJ and all those legal advisers. When a justiciable case is brought up against the Executive, then the Supreme Court would not be dragged into the issue as an accomplish.
Justice Puno should never be part of any council created by Gloria.
“People Expecting Opposition to Fight Anomalies in Government!”
“Tabunda and Billones made this conclusion from Pulse Asia surveys. In the April 2007 survey, the study said that while 61 percent of Filipino voters said they will vote for candidates regardless of their party affiliation, this chunk of the voters were found to prefer candidates who “fight anomalies in government”â€â€a perception which, according to the study, applied to many candidates from the Genuine Opposition (GO).Newsbreak”
It’s a pity we do not have a principled opposition. For example,the Senate investigation on the ZTE scandal has gone nowhere because the Blue Ribbon chairman, Senator Cayetano and others have gone to junkets abroad.
We,the people,are the true opposition!
“GOVERNMENT will not tolerate any kind of human rights abuse, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said yesterday,. “As the most democratic country in the region, we have no tolerance for human rights violations of any kind.â€Â
Speaking at the Regional Workshop on the Establishment of National Human Rights Institution in Asia at the Traders Hotel in Pasay City, President Arroyo said the government deplores “any and all killings of political activists and journalists. I have met personally with the journalism community and the same with human rights activists. We share their outrage.â€Â
“No one should have to die fighting for, [or] speaking out for their political beliefs,†Mrs. Arroyo said.” Manila Standard”
AMEN.
The Philippine Legislature: 100 years of History. Of what, we don’t know.
😛
rego :
Pulse Asia: 2007 Senatorial Elections a Referendum on GMA
‘It is about people wanting changes in government’â€Â- The equalizer
I just coudlnot understand why the Pulse Asia, SWS and other survey orgatnization just keep on dong surveys when you can just use the data from 2007 election.
What I would really like to see is a study based on the voter turn out and total number of voters.
Tried googling some figures but dont have much time to get to the official figure.One paper says the projected total number voters for 2004 is 49.25 milion. So that could be around 50 million by 2007.
And I dont have much time to sarch for the voter turn-out in 2007 eleksyon.
Anyway what I am saying is that Loren got around 15 million votes. That is like less tnan half of the total number of votes. Its like 30% And Triallanes got 11 million votes and its 20% like 50 million.
So i dont believe that the voice of 11 miliion voter is already a majority voice. It very much a minority
So equating that to the approval of Gloria administration. What do you got.? There is like almost 65 – 70 % voters who did not judge Gloria in the last eleksyon. And Im sure majority of those who trooped to the polls are the ones who hated Gloria and wanted express there dissatisafction of Gloria be heard through the vote.
Could this be the reason why is we are very far from the so called tipping point to osust Gloria and that is why Gloria is still in power ?
Therefore its just very hard for me to accept and to use the results of 2007 senate election as an outright repudiation of the Gloria administration. It is safer to say that is an outright repudiation of Gloria by those who hate her.
I dont know with you guys. But just correct me if im wrong.
ooooops this comment should belong to the other thread. not here reply to equalizer post, sorry!
rego, it could also be that the registered millions who did not vote are too jaded to give a shit. whether they like Gloria or not, they jz exercised their right not to vote.
so we also could not take that as a sign that the rest who did not vote were for GMA. it’s only a sign that too many Filipinos do not value the power of their votes.
I think it would really do the Philippines a lot of good if it changed its voting system, i.e., with a run off between the two highest scores. There would be less of a problem in that the winner would have at least the majority of votes and thereyby govern with the moral backbone required.
FVR was lucky that despite his 20% or so votes, he was able to govern with less hassle.
Obviously, whatever the score or the outcome of that kind of 2-round election system, it is the character of the presidential candidate and the ultimate winner that will make the difference in how he or she governs the nation.
On the congressional front, I don’t know how this can be done (2-round election system). It would be so much easier if people chose among party lists (as in a parliamentary system in Europe.)
On the Senate front, the current system of declaring the first 12 highest scorers seems to be alright.
But I think it is essential to give the would be president a moral mandate through a majority vote and that can only be achieved with a 2-round election system.
rego,
If you look at all the countries with elections, you’ll find that not 100% of the population will participate in any political activity, you’ll be lucky if you get 50%, actually perhaps 20% of the voting age within the population. Lets be realistic, some are not interested, whether they are happy with the status quo or don’t care at all, or for some reason are unable to participate. Its basically the critical few who actually participate actively in matters of the state, and it is this critical few who matter. Statistically we don’t have to get a 100% (one by one) survey of all these people, just a representative sample.
Even if you look at the odds, one can easily predict winning candidates just by using the SWS survey. If you dare, bet on it and you’ll see.
Hi MBW, Devils. I need some help here, I do I remove the website (mine)?
Sorry, its “how do I remove the website?” that I linked experimentally to my name, now I can’t seem to unlink it.
jz read the inquirer news: UNO to file ‘real impeachment complaint’ vs Arroyo
yeah right. huli man daw sa matsing, huli pa rin.
“‘We feel the public is entitled to read a real impeachment complaint, so the public can forget about the Pulido impeachment complaint,’ former senator Ernesto Maceda said, referring to the impeachment complaint filed by lawyer Roel Pulido, which legal experts had described as shallow.”
pity really you felt that only now.
“There is the underlying opinion that 2010 will still continue to be an opposition year in continuation of the 2007 election results,” Maceda said.
don’t count on it. esp now that Cayetano et al have demonstrated the unreliability of the current opposition. if non politicians run and contest all posts, it would be independents’ year. and no, not like fake independents like Joker or Villar. these guys have really disappointed me.
On the Pulido complaint, Maceda said: “Let me take note that in all his TV interviews, Pulido said he was willing to withdraw his complaint if the opposition filed a new one. We’ll see if he’s willing to stand by that.”
dnt count ur eggs before you even have the chicken to hatch it, moron. we also had GMA on record, swearing on Rizal’s grave no less, and you’re counting on the enemy to stand by their words? when were you born?
Ramrod,
I can safely say that in Europe, most national election turnout in recent years (in general elections) is somewhere between 60 and 70%.
Belgium has almost 100% voters turnout among registered voters because voting is obligatory in this tiny kingdom when you are a registered voter. Failure to vote means a huge fine and other inconveniences.
France had more than 80% voters turnout during last May’s presidential election that Nicolas Sarkozy won. (The previous election in 2002 saw right-wing Jacques Chirac and far right Jean-Marie Le Pen winning the highest scores. The 2nd round voters turnout was very high: 86% with Chirac winning the highest score in history can’t remember if it was 80 or 85% of the total votes for that second round but that’s another story…)
ramrod, jz remove the url you typed in the “website box” before the comment box.
Ramrod,
Re removing website (yours?) go back to the box under “leave a reply” and delete the web address from the tiny rectangular box just right above the enormous box (there are three so you go to the third one at the bottom) where you usually type in your comments. That should automatically get rid of your website.
🙂
Its okay now. I noticed that some people were using different names so I tried it using my son’s name last night but I had a hard time changing it back to ramrod. I used my company’s website earlier because until now I have not been successful in creating my own blog. I’m wha tyou call “blog creation impaired.” Many thanks…
Mav,
That shows that some European countries are politically mature, or they just have an effective/efficient/honest comelec like group?
sorry, its MBW not mav
Devils,
I believe in the current political set up in the Senate, there really isn’t a real opposition. There are 1, 2 or perhaps 3 Senators who could be rightly called “opposition” senators but other than them – there’s no real opposition.
The “Opposition” banner you have today in the Senate is a complete mockery of the political system wherein there should be real, bona fide opposition party and a pro-government party debating things out. Majority of the members of the Senate are clowns. With them around in the august halls of the senate, politics has become nothing but a lotto show!
Ramrod,
There is no COMELEC in any of the nations in Europe. There are NGOs if you like, election watchdogs.
In theory and in practice, the Home Ministry or the Interior Ministry in any EU country is the government agency that takes care of implementing election rules and it is also the same ministry that counts the votes and officially declares the winners. The Minister of Interior or the Home Secretary is the one that has overall responsibility for the elections.
Very simple, the Minister of Interior and his whole agency are obliged by law to follow the rules (and they do) — those who don’t follow the rules or breach the rules are severely punished. Really, it’s all a question of following the rules and respecting the law. As simple as that. Not hard to do really.
simply claiming opposition colors in 2010 will not stick. each candidate’s actions today will come back to haunt them. i just hope pag may tinapon na, wag nang isubo pa ulit.
MBW, Devils,
I talked to some people before the weekd before the Senate elections, you know casually, barbers, salespersons, taxi drivers, etc., and all of them did not have anything good to say about GMA’s endorsed candidates. Even Joker was not spared, it was as if they equated voting for admin candidates as voting for GMA herself. Another thing I also noticed, a lot of these people gravitated to “Tagalog” eloquent candidates especially Escudero. Has it come to a point where speaking against the administration in fluent Tagalog will assure you of winning votes? Never mind the content, just speak in fluent Tagalog in a defiant manner.
pag pinakinggan mo si Escudero, mahahalata mo kung pano magsalita ng napakarami na wala naman sinasabi.
Ako po si Chiz Escudero, inyong lingkod, tagapag silbi, ulirang tagapagbigay serbisyo, andito, nakatayo, nasa harap nyo, hinihingi, umaasa, nagdarasal, nagmamakawa, na sana sa darating na eleksyon, sa Mayo ho, sa 2010, sa araw ng pagboto, na ako’y wag nyong kalimutan, tandaan, isipin, itatak sa inyong mga puso, iboto, at isulat ang aking pangalan Chiz Escudero sa inyong mga balota, puso at isip. kung ako po’y parang tumutunog, nagmumukhang, lumalabas, nagsasalitang parang sirang plakang wala naman talagang sinasabing makabuluhan, importante, may laman, o may patutunguhan, pag pasensyahan, pagbigyan, patawarin nyo na po ako, ang inyong lingkod, ang inyong tagapagtanggol, ang inyong boses ng masa. ganito, ganire, ganyan, lamang ho talaga ako magsalita, mag oratoryo, mag deklama, mangampanya. Chiz Escudero ho, how to say a lot without saying anything at all, at your service po!
Know what Ramrod? I have a feeling that the candidates who joined the “Opposition” bandwagon (ok, the GO party was apparently a coalition of several parties), save for 2 or 3 candidates, were not really opposition candidates in the technical sense of what political opposition is – so, I’m inclined to believe they were actually loose canon balls fielded from Gloria’s camp. Their actions today have betray their political leaning.
When our co-commenters here say that senators from the “opposition” are being shot down by Malacanang left right and center, has it occurred to them that these non-performing senators are not really opposition senators?
Take Villar for instance and even Escudero or Cayetano and lots of other senators there. They are all making noises but they are not doing the job they were voted to do: to be in opposition as in OPPOSE!
Mockery, total, utter, complete mockery of the democratic political system!
ramrod said this:
rego,
“If you look at all the countries with elections, you’ll find that not 100% of the population will participate in any political activity, you’ll be lucky if you get 50%, actually perhaps 20% of the voting age within the population”
ramrod, I have been a long time party member of the Conservatives Party of Canada (used to be Progressive Conservatives) and you are Very Right, not more than 20% of voting population are actively joining the Parties membership, and we will be very lucky if we get 70% votes cast in any election. Municipal elections so happy for passing Halfway.
But that does not mean that people are not concern of the issues. It is just that the confidence by the people to most parties and candidates, that unless there is a very important issues between candidates and a very wide or opposing programs among different parties during the campaign, voters just don’t care much who’s going to win or lose the government, but very quick to punish any party in government who is exposed to have gone the “wrong way” and we can thank the oppositions and Most Importantly the Media for always on the watch..
“rego said – So equating that to the approval of Gloria administration. What do you got.? There is like almost 65 – 70 % voters who did not judge Gloria in the last eleksyon. And Im sure majority of those who trooped to the polls are the ones who hated Gloria and wanted express there dissatisafction of Gloria be heard through the vote.”
Your analysis is flawed. First, don’t expect 100% voter turnout. Second, you can’t say that since Loren got 15 M votes then GMA got 35 M votes. You should instead count all the GMA senatorial candidates (Angara, Arroyo, Zubiri) that won and divide that by 12. 25% is the result. Third, it’s impossible to know that ‘majority of those who trooped to the polls are the ones who hated Gloria’. It’s like saying that pedestrians who enter the Starbucks along 5th Ave. near the Phil. consulate in NYC are coffee drinkers and those who don’t are not coffee drinkers.
In theory, the legislature is to check and to balance the executive part of the political apparatus but the way things look today, there is no such thing and whatever one says, THERE REALLY IS NO MORE CHECK & BALANCE!
Abe Margallo summed up governance in the Philippines today by describing the type of governance under Marcos and under Gloria. One padlocked the institutions, the other hasn’t. The latter being more wily and cunning and doing it through legalistic manner (I grant you that), i.e., legislature, courts, etc., but the end result is the same, de facto authoritarian rule.
And why is that? Because there is NO OPPOSITION because 3 senators and a few representatives in the lower house do not make up for a healthy, credible political opposition that’s meant to check and to balance the exective branch! This is a very UNHEALTHY state of affairs. Healthy for Gloria and her friends but not healthy for the nation.
Can’t do that — just isn’t the way democracy works.
The Philippine Legislature has had several incarnations in the last 100 years. Now which one has been most representative of the people? This is what we should be reflecting about.
“voters just don’t care much who’s going to win or lose the government, but very quick to punish any party in government who is exposed to have gone the “wrong way†and we can thank the oppositions and Most Importantly the Media for always on the watch..”
Vic, I guess it comes with the territory. I for one cannot probably survive a day as a Senator.
mlq3,
I saw part of your “The Explainer” tonight, you had JDV as a guest. What was this “letter” all about?
I have to admit I appreciated his candor in admitting that during elections some candidates receive support from drug lords, gambling lords, smugglers, etc. to fund their campaign and when seated has to give back to these “supporters.” He admitted this fact on national TV, so this eliminates this practice as mere “heresay?”
Guys,
A few minutes ago from ABS CBN channel, the UNO or united opposition is filing a new impeachment complaint and this guy who filed earlier Cong. Egay (I can’t remember his name) is willing to withdraw the one he filed.
The principal legacy of the Marcos authoritarian rule has been a structurally weak and divided political opposition. This weakness has allowed the ruling elite (supported by the military) to govern using a reconstituted version of the Marcos -style of political rule.
hi equalizer,
where has everyone gone? this is just about the only time I have for blogging.
Ramrod:We can’t rely on the “political opposition”.They have been co-opted by the administration.We,the people,are the opposition!
“Public indignation against the President is indeed building up. I hope she realizes that her name has become like dung for many people, many of whom are not her personal enemies. But they are frustrated, and are becoming perhaps already cynical. Many, unable to express their powerlessness by demonstrations, try to cut the President to size by humor. Teodoro Bacani Jr.”
What else can you do with a “shameless” administration?
Precisely, basically all those who are not happy with the status quo or the excesses of the current administration are the opposition. Unfortunately we can only speak through the ballot and the “political opposition” are the people we chose to speak/act in our behalf…
Again, being part of the business community I still encourage sobriety, we can manage this crises as we have always weathered strong typhoons, landslides, wars, and earthquakes – together, and with clear minds so we don’t cause irreparable damage to our institutions along the way.
equalizer,
Its 2:20am, I have to say goodnight. Long day tomorrow, thanks for being here…
We do not have anymore the archetypal political oppositionist who fights for his convictions with little regard of the cost.
The closest to Ninoy ,the great dissenter,is Senator Trillanes.
I may not agree with his politics but I admire the strength of his convictions.
In the absence of a true political opposition in the current set up, Ramrod is right – the opposition is in the hands of the people, of business and of good thinking NGOs. A nation cannot call itself democratic in the absence of a political opposition.
Political opposition doesn’t mean sabotaging genuine efforts at reforms, political opposition to my mind is a genuine debate among the representatives of the people based on genuine democratic ideologies. Political opposition is about engaging those who support the executive branch in honest to goodness discussion of what is good for the nation first and foremost and not just what is good for the chief executive.
We don’t have this today in the Philippines. There is no debate, there are noises but not debates. More often than not, those whom we elected under the opposition banner are silent and we don’t know the reason why? Is it because they are indebted to the administration one way or another? Is it because of fear? Is it because they have run out of ideas? Is it because they have been “bought”, i.e., ‘bribed’, ‘charmed’, etc. by the administration?
What I see is that these politicians across the board, whether so-called anti-Gloria administration or pro-Gloria have stopped representing the people’s interests, they represent their interests first and then the administration’s next and at the bottom of their political priorities are the people who voted for them.
This is not democracy.
It’s wrong to believe that democracy is a numbers’ game — if we believe that then we may as well accept that authoritarian regimes have the numbers to do the bidding of the dictator.
“What I see is that these politicians across the board, whether so-called anti-Gloria administration or pro-Gloria have stopped representing the people’s interests, they represent their interests first and then the administration’s next and at the bottom of their political priorities are the people who voted for them.”
“Plus ça change, plus c’est la méme chôse”
Equalizer, êtes vous TdC auparavant?
ANA:sorry the French lost in Rugby!
We don’t have this today in the Philippines. There is no debate, there are noises but not debates. – MBW
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you got it right. parang doon sa isang blog, walang debate o honest discussions. any dissenting opinion will be labeled as pro gloria. puputaktihin ka na. babanatan na ang messenger, wala na ang message. the mere mention of marcos or erap, sasabihin sa iyo, you’re diverting the issue. tapos deleted na ang mga posts mo.
tungkol naman sa opposition, wala na yan sa pinas. wala na ang nacionalista at liberal party. you guessed it, courtesy of marcos’ martial law.
The closest to Ninoy ,the great dissenter,is Senator Trillanes.
I may not agree with his politics but I admire the strength of his convictions. – equalizer
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trillanes compared to ninoy? admire his convictions?
ano ba talaga ang purpose niya noon sa oakwood? to air grievances ba o patalsikin si gloria? convictions ba yun na magbago ang plano as in plan ‘B’ kung hindi ka sinuportahan ng tao (physically as in dumami ang tao sa oakwood)? kung hindi legit ang gloria gov, bakit senador ka nito?
Dinapinoy,
Re: “tungkol naman sa opposition, wala na yan sa pinas.”
All the more Filipinos should be alert. If the politicians they elected have surrendered their right to represent them in the proper forum, it’s the people’s duty to call them to taks, to make them face their responsibilities and if these representatives continue to do the people wrong, they should be punished and punished resoundinlgy at the polls, no ifs no buts.
punished resoundinlgy at the polls, no ifs no buts. – MBW
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polls after polls, ganun pa rin. punished? bakit kaya nandyan pa si enrile?