Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 27) — A lawmaker on Monday said holding elections every three years encourages corruption and regulatory inconsistencies, causing uncertainty among investors, which should be addressed to attract more foreign capital.
“Too much elections, I think, encourages corruption in areas. You have to admit, elections now are getting more expensive and I think it encourages, the present Constitution, encourages inconsistencies in our policies, possibly more corruption,” Camarines Sur 2nd District Rep. LRay Villafuerte told CNN Philippines’ The Source.
Last week, the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments approved a Resolution of Both Houses that calls for a constitutional convention (con-con) pushing for Charter change (Cha-cha).
The proposed changes in the Charter focus on its economic provisions.
Asked if Cha-cha will be effective if corruption and regulatory inconsistencies persist in government, Villafuerte said it will only be addressed if the polls system is studied.
“Regulatory inconsistency, that’s a product of too many elections in our country,” he said. “Can you imagine an investor, whether local or foreign investor, na every three years you are scared the mayor or the local government official will be changed? That is why there is regulatory inconsistency and possibly corruption.”
The lawmaker said instead of having elections every three years, it can be adjusted to every four to five years, which should cover both national and local polls.
But Villafuerte noted that the proponents of Charter change want to focus now on amending the economic provisions of the Constitution to attract more foreign capital, especially for the agriculture sector. He said they want to pass the proposal to amend the charter at the lower chamber before they go on a break in April.
READ: Villafuerte asks senators to open mind, heart for Cha-cha
If it is approved, the election of the members of the con-con should be done simultaneously with the barangay elections as this can help the government reduce its expenses, Villafuerte said.
Political analyst Michael Yusingco said the lawmaker has a point as the current elections system “has fostered the shortsighted and myopic development outlook prevalent amongst our political leaders from both the local and national levels of government.”
“My suggestion is to match the term of office of local officials to the president’s term of six years, but allowing for a single re-election,” Yusingco told CNN Philippines. “With this change, our political leaders will fall within the same development timeframe.”
Voters must also be given the constitutional right to remove their elected officers, when warranted, through the process of recall, he added.
