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There is an alternative AN OUTSIDERS VIEW Ken Fuller 08/30/2011

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

There is an alternative

AN OUTSIDERS VIEW
Ken Fuller
08/30/2011
This outsider has it on good authority that in the recent past, former president Joseph Estrada has developed an admiration for Claro M. Recto, who over the course of his career evolved from traditional politician to consistent nationalist. Had Recto’s nationalism begun to work its magic earlier, there would have been no question of Mr. Estrada attempting to remove the nationalist safeguards from the Constitution during his abbreviated presidency. It would seem, however, that son Jinggoy has yet to fall under the Recto spell, for he is calling for the “outdated charter” to be amended.
Another senator supporting a review of the economic provisions is Antonio Trillanes IV. According to the Philippine Star report of Aug. 16, his main interest seems to lie in securing a reduction in domestic shipping rates (presumably by the introduction of foreign competition, although this is far from clear). He also argues that Congress should discuss and vote on the amendments one by one, in the same manner as normal legislation, thus obviating the need for a constitutional convention or constituent assembly, either of which might be railroaded into a sweeping revision of the Charter.
It is surprising to see Trillanes’ name associated with revision or elimination of the economic provisions because he is held to be a staunch nationalist. Indeed, when I interviewed Sonny Melencio earlier this year for my current book project (the third and final volume of a history of the Philippine left; the first volume was published by UP Press in 2007 as Forcing the Pace, while the second, A Movement Divided, will be issued by the same publisher very shortly), he recalled how, when he had visited Trillanes in detention, the latter had expressed opposition to socialism on the grounds that it was “foreign.” So too, Melencio pointed out, is nationalism, meaning that some ideologies, although originated in specific geographical/historical circumstances, can have universal application.
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SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110830com5.html

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