CETERIS PARIBUS

By Orion Perez D
October 8, 2017

It is already pretty much a given that Parliamentary Systems are - ceteris paribus - superior to Presidential Systems. One other extra fact is that Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchies generally outperform Parliamentary Republics in terms of system stability and programme-continuity.

I know this is ironic and counter-intuitive, given that Monarchy - even if it is fundamentally constitutional and mostly symbolic and ceremonial in function - might seem to be a supposedly anachronistic and outdated hold-over from the past, but many studies have shown compelling statistics on this.

Perhaps it is because Monarchies tend to have several features of "reverence-attraction" such as the more complex and ornamental rituals, pomp-and-ceremony, "costumes", and regalia associated with it, which draws upon the primordial need for human beings to witness "transcendence" or "non-ordinariness", aside from other features which connect with the human need for mythology, superstition, and rituals.

Republics, on the other hand, for them to be effective in compensating for that lack of "reverence-attraction" that is inherent in trappings of Monarchy, need to project "State Power" by showing off military or police "might", making use of more "punitive" disincentives for non-compliance, and reminding the populace of the power that the State has over the tools for violence through symbols such as the fasces (which features an axe) -- used on the symbols of many Republics or institutions in countries that are Republics such as France, Italy, the USA, and many countries in Latin America. Some republics also seem to have a need to build gigantic monuments or buildings in order to project "State Power", to compensate for the fact that the "awe"-factor found in many monarchies is absent or reduced.

It is for this reason that whenever I discuss with my fellow Constitutional Reform advocates about how the ceremonial President of the proposed Parliamentary System that we should end up with in the Philippines should look like, I emphasize the need to design the institution of the Office of the President to try to imitate certain “reverence-attracting” features found in Monarchies which contribute to their greater stability and greater ability to foster cohesion.

Whereas Monarchies draw their "reverence-attraction" ability from the traditions and pomp-and-ceremony that is associated with them, the Office of a President in a Parliamentary Republic can be provided with certain features that could add to its reverence-attracting ability, such as ensuring that only Senior Citizens no younger than age 65 can become President, and that only citizens who have excelled greatly and achieved accomplishments that are worthy of reverence are to be considered for the post. After all, it is usually true that people - regardless of cultural background - tend to have a default or natural sense of deference and respect towards older people, particularly those having a parent-like aura of authority.

While Monarchs wear robes, crowns, and hold scepters, a President of the Republic might need to wear a Presidential Sash (like what they do in Latin America) just to distinguish him/her from everyone else.

As a ceremonial figurehead whose primary responsibility is to unify the country and draw respect from the citizens toward his/her person and to the institutions which he/she represents, it is also important that this President be a politically-neutral and non-partisan figure. One who does not have to campaign actively to ask people to vote for him/her.

This is why many Parliamentary Republics use a system where their Parliament or a combination of several bodies that form a special "electoral college" are responsible for appointing a suitable person to take on the role of President of the Republic.
But because people in the Philippines are already used to voting for the President and it would be extremely unpopular to seemingly "take the vote away", it may actually make sense to create a "compromise-system" which combines the STABILITY and EFFICIENCY of having Parliament appoint the President and getting the people to elect the President.

What I propose as a compromise-system is one where Parliament, represented by the two main factions - Government (Majority) and the Opposition (Minority) must jointly propose 2 names of nominees that both parliamentary factions highly respect and would not mind supporting. This is not a matter of the Government proposing 1 name and the Opposition proposing another name. No. This is a matter of having the Government AND Opposition jointly choose two names of people whom they both agree on and believe to be people whom the Filipino Public will trust, support, and wholeheartedly respect. These two nominees must meet the minimum requirements set as well -- which includes the need to be at least age 65, and to have excelled in one or more fields, with accomplishments that are worthy of praise both in the Philippines, and abroad.

Once the two nominees' names are put forward, it is the State -- the country itself -- that will campaign for BOTH OF THEM and simply let the People choose who between the two Senior and Elder Statesmen they would want for the post. This ensures that these two nominees do not need to demean themselves in the partisan and "vulgar" process of having to campaign and ask people to vote for them. It is already an honor to be nominated.

After the elections are done, the one with the greater number of votes then goes in line to be President, while the other one who did not quite get as many votes becomes the Vice President.

Both will be largely ceremonial. The Vice President can be made available to become the titular presiding officer of the upper house (if there will be an upper house).

If anything, both will be people who should be publicly well-acknowledged to be worthy of the honor of ceremonially representing the Philippines, and being nominated as the two nominees/candidates is already an honor aimed at thanking them for their long career of service and their achievements which brought pride to the country.

The national election, therefore, serves as that tie-breaker which gives the Filipino Public the sense that they had an active hand in providing the President with the mandate to act as the country's ceremonial Head of State.