The Bayanikasan Constitution - Effective Democracy For All!

The Bayanikasan Constitution - Effective Democracy For All!

(By: DinggolAranetaDivinagracia - February 18, 2019)

“This is a capsulized presentation or brief outline of the “Bayanikasan Constitution, a non-traditional approach to Federalism, as envisioned by Dr. Salvador Z. Araneta to be adopted in the Philippines Constitution.” --dinggol.d~~~

The brainchild of the late Dr. Salvador Zaragoza Araneta was based on PHILCONSA studies of 1968 to 1971. It called for a Federal Republic of the Philippines. And because it proposed many drastic reforms that would require time before people would accept the terms, Araneta envisioned this to be adopted after about 20 years later.

Participatory Democracy; Democratization of Wealth; A Collective Leadership through the Troika; Moderating Powers in the Government, A Semi-Unitary Government with Local Autonomy, were all part of his vision for the Future.

The Federal form of government would separate Muslim Mindanao from Christian Mindanao; for a much greater participation in government, the state would promote the establishment of non profit institutions and foundations that would participate in nation building with involvement in government affairs especially in legislation and in the socio - economic development.

ARTICLE 83 – called for the termination of the present treaty allowing the U.S. to maintain bases in the Philippines and to work for the international neutralization of the Republic of the Philippines.

ARTICLE 44 – to remedy the backlog of cases for “speedy and equal justice for all,” it was proposed that a Special and constitutional Courts of original jurisdiction under it, be created to handle all cases involving public law, so that the existing Judiciary will only have jurisdiction over private law cases. It also urged the creation of temporary additional divisions in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals and temporary courts of First Instance to exclusively hear and dispose of the back load of cases. Further to reduce the kinds of cases that may be appealed to the court of Appeals and to the Supreme Court.

ARTICLE 24 – the creation of the NEDA for achieving a sustainable economy to formulate, in consultation with the NACE (National Authority on Culture and Education) definite national economic and social policies, taking into account the limited fuel resources and foreign exchange, the high cost of foreign fund, the need to return to a less sophisticated way of life and to nature and the simple way of life in the tropics, the evils of pollution, the need to provide proper balance of available physical and spiritual work to all, and in sum, the promotion of the Bayanikasan way of life and the national purpose. (See Section 4 of the proposed Ordinance)

ARTICLE 65 provides – to solve the problem of inflation exiting at the (then) rate of 15% to 20% a year and to simultaneously solve the problem of unemployment – a policy of full employment must be carried out.

Unemployment which cannot be absorbed by normal work opportunities could be taken over by such projects, as follows:

1. A vast reforestation program for flood control and tree fuel source;

2. A bold housing located in new industrial estates;

3. Essential infrastructure;

4. A bold program of rural school building;

5. A program of high school and vocational and academic courses at every municipality;

6. A program of colleges and universities in every province;

7. A bold program of hospital buildings using medicines from our flora and fauna along with western medicines, accessible to all families;

8. Rapid, efficient and maximum development of all new natural resources. Giving high priority to those that are inexhaustible such as the sun, wind and the tide and the maximum attention to our water, mangrove, geothermal, petroleum, coal, lime and mineral resources.

9. Reclamation of our huge marshes leaving about one forth untouched to preserve the ecological balance, three – fourths thereof to be used to convert adjoining blocks: fishponds of about two (2) hectares each, alternating with areas to be used for agricultural of urban purpose, of about one hectare each.

The urban area shall not extend to one-tenth (1/10th) of the agricultural area which will be irrigated with excess water from the fishponds.

10. The use of water resources from all our rivers for mini or medium-sized hydroelectric power; also for irrigation and water conservation.

Summary:

The Bayanikasan Constitution: For Real Change through Rapid, Bold, Drastic Measures to Better the Lives of Every Filipino.

This Constitution calls for Reducing the Power of the President through a Collective Leadership, Empowering Citizens by Creating New Wealth for all, Preserving the Patrimony of the Nation, Uplifting Human Values, Promoting Fair, Equal, Speedy Justice, and Ending Political Dynasties.

Footnote:

Asked why he wrote in hieroglyphics, Pilosopong Tasio explained: “I do not write for this generation; I wrote for other ages. If the present generation could read me, it would burn my books, the work of a lifetime. On the other hand, the generation that deciphers these characters shall be an enlightened generation that will understand and say, “Not all slept during the night of our forebears!”

There is something of Pilosopong Tasio in Don Salvador Araneta; true, his Constitution is addressed to the present generation, but to be used in 10 to 20 years. His plan for Tomorrow is ready Today; it is Today that is not ready for his plan of Tomorrow.

Araneta’s Bayanikasan - The Effective Democracy For All! envisioned the union of material and moral greatness for the Philippines. The Bayanikasan Constitution provides the basic guidelines for that democratic democracy. The fundamental problem is universal. Man has conquered outer space but has yet to conquer inner space that is Man himself. Public poverty cannot be the foundation of private wealth. Araneta warns that under the existing rules of the game the alternative to inequitable wealth distribution is the equitable apportioning of poverty. His alternative is to democratized private property, not by abolishing it but by making it universal.

Time is running out for the revolution from above. We share Thomas Babington Macaulay’s thought: “We deplore the outrages which accompany revolution. But the more violent the outrages, the more assured we feel that a revolution was necessary! The violence of these outrages will always be proportioned to the ferocity and ignorance of the people; and the ferocity and ignorance of the people will be proportioned to the oppression and degradation under which they have been accustomed to live.”

The cock has not crowed twice.

Alejandro R. Roces

Source: The Bayanikasan Constitution-Effective Democracy For All - by Dr. Salvador Z. Araneta. The book was given to me by my generous second cousin Ma. Lina Lopez Araneta-Santiago, daughter of the late Dr. Salvador Z. Araneta and Victoria Ledesma Lopez de Araneta).

Dr. Araneta was the son of Don Gregorio Soriano Araneta of Molo, Iloilo City who was a younger brother of my very own maternal grandfather Gen. Marciano Soriano Araneta --1898 revolutionary leader in “Mangkas” now La Carlota in Negros Occidental. Tito Salvador was greatly instrumental of my first employment at age 19 as the Executive Trainee in a commercial Bank while still a college sophomore at Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Intramuros, Manila. Bless his soul! 

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