Political Stability and Economic Development

In 1985, former senator Jovito Salonga said the test of national development is whether we are able to provide enough for those who have little

In 1985, former senator Jovito Salonga returned to the Philippines from a self-imposed four-year exile in the U.S. By then, the dictator Marcos had been president for two decades and his repressive rule and economic mismanagement had made the country ripe for a revolution. In a speech delivered before the Makati Business Club in 1985, Salonga spoke about the relationship between political stability and economic development. Following is a summary of his speech that first appeared in the MBC Economic Papers March 1985 (vol. 4, no. 6) issue. Two decades later, Salonga’s recommendations on the advancement of democracy in the country still hold true.

Former senator Jovito Salonga was the Club’s guest speaker at its regular monthly meeting last 19 February 1985 at the Hotel InterContinental in Makati. Speaking on the theme of “Political Stability and Economic Development,” the former senator stated that it was ironic that after 13 years under a regime designed and imposed precisely to establish social stability and promote economic development, the political situation today is more unstable than before and the economy is “on the verge of collapse.” Senator Salonga quoted extensively from a United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations report, dated October 1984, pointing out the following highlights:

• While components of the present crisis are not new, the present strains and anxieties playing in the country have become intense.
• The deterioration, which has reached critical proportions, occurred under the watch of President Marcos, with many Filipinos blaming the Marcos administration and the president himself for the economic and political predicament of the country.
• There is a well-led and disciplined Communist insurgency movement with sophisticated political infrastructure and military capability. “Its greatest strengths are the abuses, inefficiencies, corruption, and complacency of a regime long in power.”
• The leadership of President Marcos is bankrupt in terms of popular confidence.
• Filipinos have the perception of being robbed by “oligarchs and cronies.” The government is perceived as an instrument dedicated to the advancement of personal fortunes.
• The Armed Forces of the Philippines tend to act towards the people as if they were the enemy. On the other hand, the New People’s Army works to project the image of protector and friend.

An End in Itself

Senator Salonga stressed that political stability was a prerequisite to economic development. Political stability, he said, did not mean the absence of tensions and disturbances in society but rather the ability of society to endure such destructive tension. It was the attribute of a body politic, when disturbed, to develop forces that restore it to a condition of public tranquility. Stability, however, could not become an end in itself. Salonga pointed out that under totalitarian and dictatorial systems, conflicts were often resolved through plots and conspiracies, palace revolutions, and coups. The democratic method, on the other hand, was the civilized method of taming and managing conflicts through discussion, conciliation, and election.

No Justice, No Freedom, No Peace

Salonga stated that the first article of faith and primary aim of a new government was to restore human dignity by rebuilding a free, just, democratic, and prosperous society. Every society, he continued, was bound by certain basic rules of conduct that must be observed if social order were to be preserved. Disorderly society was simply an open invitation to the strong and ruthless to arrogate absolute power unto themselves.
The former senator went on to stress, however, that the social order must be just, for without justice, freedom would be illusory. Moreover, there could be no peace without justice. Meanwhile, he added, the problems of poverty, social injustice, corruption, abuse of power, and the excessive dependence on external forces cannot and will not yield to a military solution.

Plan of Government

Salonga pointed out that he and the Liberal Party were for the restoration of democracy with all its attendant risks. He said he stood for the prevention of abuse of power through a system of checks and balances that does not prolong inaction or deadlock. Consistent with his view that political stability is the prerequisite of economic progress, Salonga’s program of government was long on political reforms and short on economic adjustment and programs. As a way of promoting political stability, Salonga recommended the following:

• The system of checks and balances among the three branches of government should be restored, with the Executive powers separated from the power to enact or interpret the law. The acts of the Chief Executive and the enactments of the Legislative branch should be open to Judicial review.
• Appointments of key officials by the Executive branch should meet the consent of the Legislative branch. All high officials of the government may be impeached for grave offenses. There is no room for the immunity clause. For the system to work, the independence of the Judiciary should be re-established and safeguarded.
• The integrity and credibility of the electoral process should be restored and maintained. All agencies involved in the electoral process should be reorganized.
• There should be a continuing inquiry into and redress of ethnic and cultural injustices suffered by the Muslims and other cultural minorities.
• Steps should be taken to establish autonomous local governments. The proposal to establish a federal government and a system of proportional representation in government agencies merits serious study and consideration.
• However, the areas of national defense, foreign policy, national commerce and trade, currency, and human rights should remain the primary concern and prerogative of a central government.
• A nationwide declaration of martial law should bear legislative concurrence. Invasion or insurrection should be the only justification for the declaration of martial law. Even then, the imposition of martial law should be made specifically only on those areas or regions which are under threat of invasion or
  insurrection.
• All public officials should be subject to public accountability. They should disclose periodically under oath the true extent of their assets, liabilities, and financial interests. They should also inhibit themselves from any conflict-of-interest cases.
• A strong, well-written anticorruption law should be enacted and administered by an independent quasi-judicial commission.
• The integrity and competence of the civil service system should be restored. The civil service should be made efficient, merit-oriented, and non-partisan.

Test of Development

Senator Salonga closed by saying that the test of national development and greatness was “not whether we can add more to the abundance of those who have so much; it is whether we can provide enough for those who have so little.”