Presidential candidate and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso on Wednesday, Feb. 23, said he will push for a regional Senate if he wins in the upcoming elections.
Domagoso said he will propose an amendment to the 1987 Constitution to elect two senators in each of the country’s 17 regions for a total of 34 senators.
“Kung talagang gusto natin ng pagkakaisa, maipakita natin na pantay-pantay ang Mindanao, Visayas, at Luzon, dapat ang senador, binoboto sa kanilang rehiyon. Dalawa bawat rehiyon (If we really want unity, we can show that Mindanao, Visayas, and Luzon are equal, the senator, should be voted in their region. Two per region), so that’s 34 senators,” Domagoso said in an interview before embarking on his motorcade in Marikina City.
He believes Filipinos all over the country will each have a chance to become well represented in the legislative branch.
“Dahil ang gusto ko, makakita ako ng senador na Igorot, kasi ibinoto siya doon sa rehiyon niya. Gusto ko makakita ako ng senador na Moro, na Lumad, o mga iba pang mga kababayan natin sa kani-kanilang lugar, wherein, magkakaroon na sila ng specific, geographical constituency (Because I want to see a senator who’s an Igorot because he was voted in his region. I want to see a Moro senator, a Lumad, or other compatriots in their respective areas, wherein, they will have a specific, geographical constituency),” Domagoso explained.
“Para at least papanatag yung mga taga-Samar, Leyte, o taga-Iloilo, Batanes, Tawi-Tawi, na meron silang senador na kapitbahay nila, alam ang kultura, tradisyon, at kustombre nila o 'yung kanilang mga pamana, na makikipaglaban sa resources ng gobyerno para sa kanilang mga rehiyon at kanya-kanyang lugar,” the 47-year-old presidential aspirant pointed out (This will reassure the people of Samar, Leyte, or Iloilo, Batanes, Tawi-Tawi, that they have a senator who is their neighbor, knows their culture, traditions, and customs or their heritage, who will fight for government resources for their regions and respective areas,” he pointed out.
Everyone will also be given the equal chance to earn a seat in the Senate and not only those who came from well-known political families, Domagoso.
“So, kung hindi ka sikat, kahit magaling ka sa partikular na bayan, maliit ang tsansa mong maging senador. And a senate run is very costly. Ang nangyayari, parang naging franchise. Yung ikot, sila-sila lang, pami-pamilya lang (So, if you are not famous, even if you are good in a particular town, you only have a small chance of becoming a senator. And a senate run is very costly. What’s happening is like franchising. The cycle is just among them, just the same political families),” he said.
Domagoso also said he would push for a shift to a two-party political system.
“Kailangan kasi ang vice president laging sinusuportahan yung presidente, kasi yun ang may mando na siya ang pinuno ng bansa. Eh ang problema pag ang nagiging vice president e kalaban, for the next five years wala ng ginawa kundi awayin ng awayin yung presidente, kontrahin ng kontrahin yung presidente kahit wala na sa lugar, o baka dahil sa politika o baka sa personal na intensyon lamang sa political growth (The vice president must always support the president. The problem is when the vice president is the opponent, for the next five years, all he/she will do is quarrel with the president, oppose the president, even if he/she is no longer in place, or maybe because of politics or just for his/her own political growth),” he pointed out.
“So, hindi siya nakakatulong sa tao, nakakakunsumi pa siya (He is not helpful to the people at all). So, napapanahon na siguro na isa lang ang boto ng presidente at vice president (It’s about time that maybe the president and vice president will come from the same party) This political system, on top of the economic provisions na kailangan ding baguhin (that also need to be amended), will create stability in the hearts and mind of our people),” he said.
Domagoso also wants a review of the partylist system, saying it is no longer serving its original purpose.
“Ang nangyayari ngayon, parang ang nagiging partylist ay mga mayayaman na, hindi na yung mga sector na nangangailangan ng tulong ("What is happening now is that the members of partylists are now the rich, not the sectors that need help),” he added.
The presidential aspirant assured that he will work closely with the legislative branch and convince lawmakers to pass the amendments to the current political party system,
“I’ll try my best to be sensible to the legislative body. And if not, there is another provision in the Constitution, to submit it directly to the people. There are rules available legally and technically,” he said.