INTRODUCTION TO SYSTEMS OF GOVERNMENT

Presidential and Semi-Presidential

By: ATTY. LORENZO “LARRY” GADON

WHAT DO WE WANT? • CHANGE

• CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT SYSTEM

• CHANGE FOR BETTER FUTURE OF THE COUNTRY AND ITS

PEOPLE

WHY ARE WE HERE? To know the concepts of:

• Federalism

•Presidential and Semi-Presidential System

•Constitutional change

WHY? • To exercise POLITICAL RIGHT

to decide for the future of the country • To perform duty and

obligation of every citizen to participate in politics and nation building

PLEBISCITE FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM

• To cast vote according to conscience and understanding

WHAT TO DO?

•LISTEN

•UNDERSTAND

•PARTICIPATE

•PROPAGATE

About: • FEDERALISM

• PRESIDENTIAL and SEMI-PRESIDENTIAL systems OF GOVERNMENT • CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM

PDU30 CORE presents CONCEPTS, PRINCIPLES, PROPOSALS AND IDEAS

• FINAL DRAFT TO BE DONE BY CONGRESS: Congress acting as Constitutional Assembly or CON-ASS

PRESENT SYSTEM: PRESIDENTIAL

• Executive Power – President

• Legislative Power – Congress: Senate and House of Representatives

• Judicial Power – Supreme Court and lower courts

DEFECTS OF PRESIDENTIAL SYSTEM ACCORDING TO EXPERIENCE

• President – Head of State and Head of Government

• Appointment Power – Based on political patronage, alliances, exchange deals, gratitude, indebtedness

• Result: Incompetent officials, lacks experience and qualifications, lacks integrity

1. In a presidential system, it is common for the President and the Congress to represent different political parties, different interests and persuasions.

In theory, this may appear to work on the system of check and balance but often leads to deadlock on important legislation

– Ex. Freedom on Information Bill, Anti-Political Dynasty Law, SSS Pension Bill, BBL, etc.

2. President is elected by popularity – thus, qualification, experience, education, integrity are not given so much critical consideration by the electorate

3. The appointment of key officials are left to the discretion, whims and caprices of the President. The appointees may not be qualified, nor has the experience for the position. Because of popularity of the appointing power, the key officials have the tendency to ignore public distrust and criticism. They become insensitive. This often leads to bad governance and corruption.

PROPOSED

SEMI-PRESIDENTIAL SYSTEM

• PRESIDENT – Head of State, elected at large

• PRIME MINISTER – Head of Government, elected from among the members of Parliament together with other ministers

• PARLIAMENT – elected by voters from each regional state

PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM

• A parliamentary system is a system of government where the executive branch is chosen from the legislature (parliament) and is also held accountable to that legislature.

• In a parliamentary system, the head of state, usually the President is a different person from the head of government, who is the Prime Minister.

• This is in contrast to a presidential system, where the head of state, is also the head of government and most notably, the executive branch does not come from among the members of the legislature and is elected at large directly by the people.

SET UP OF PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM

• PRESIDENT – Head of state, figure head with limited powers; elected at large or elected from among members of the parliament

• PRIME MINISTER – Head of Government, power to run the affairs of the government; elected from among the members of the parliament

• PARLIAMENT – Makes laws, elects or chooses the Prime Minister and cabinet and implements the laws

• SUPREME COURT – Interprets the laws

Parlimentary Government Advantages

• One of the biggest advantages to parlimentary system is that it is more efficient.

• Since the executive and the parliament are unified, the government can pass laws more quickly and efficiently with its majority.

• In a parliamentary government, the key officials or cabinet ministers are chosen either by the parliament, by the majority party or the Prime Minister, the choices are more often qualified and possess the needed experience, education and training for the job.

• Because the Parliamentary govt. is directly accountable to the legislature or parliament, the Prime Minister and the ministers or cabinet are expected to perform well otherwise they can be removed from the cabinet by a process of vote of NO CONFIDENCE. No need for tedious process of impeachment.

• If the Prime Minister and his cabinet perform well, it will lead to good governance and good governance means progress.

CHARACTERISTICS OF PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM

• GOOD PERFORMANCE – hold to position and power

• Non-performance – SUMMARY REMOVAL by vote of NO CONFIDENCE

• Choice of Ministers – based on qualification, experience, competence, integrity

• IF NOT – would result to bad performance – leading to VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE

UNDER SEMI-PRESIDENTIAL WITH PARLIAMENTARY

SYSTEM ASSURANCE OF HAVING GOOD,

COMPETENT, QUALIFIED LEADERS

Results to:

• GOOD GOVERNANCE

• BETTER FUTURE AND PROGRESS

CHANGE THAT WE WANT – FOR THE COUNTRY FOR THE PEOPLE, FOR THE FUTURE

Countries under Presidential

• Algeria

• Angola

• Argentina

• Bolivia

• Brazil

• Chile

• Colombia

• Costa Rica

• Dominican Republic

• Ecuador

• El Salvador

• Guatemala

• Honduras

• Mexico

• Nicaragua

• Nigeria

• Palau

• Paraguai

• Philippines

• Russia

• South Africa

• Syria

• USA

Countries under Parliamentary

• Australia

• Canada

• Denmark

• India

• Germany

• Israel

• Japan

• Netherlands

• Malaysia

• New Zealand

• Ireland

• Singapore

• Spain

• Sweden

• Switzerland

• Thailand

• United Kingdom

PDU30 – CORE Constitutional Reform to

Federalism Lets LEARN, UNDERSTAND,

PROPAGATE, SUPPORT

PERFORM OUR DUTY AS CITIZENS

EXERCISE POLITICAL RIGHT AND DUTY WITH INFORMED KNOWLEDGE AND

CONSCIENCE