“The Senate squabbling over Manny Villar show unparliamentarily language, charges of cowardice and bribery, insulting remarks, and walkouts marked the unruly proceedings… Oh, a bit of good new; California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, by the way, is coming to Manila to help speed up rehabilitation in places damaged by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. ”
The Filipino vice president should also serve as Senate president, “just like in America,” said Edu Manzano, Lakas-Kampi candidate for numero dos. “This way,” said Edu in a press release, “the post of Senate president does not become the source of endless infighting among Senate members.”
We share his concern, with reservation, about the current lack of stability in the Senate, occasioned by the struggle for the chamber’s presidency caused, by the way, not by ideological differences but by a road-building scandal.
The US Constitution created the Office of the Vice President and assigned to it some legislative duties as nominal head of the Senate. The vice president is allowed to vote only to break a tie. He presides over the joint session of Congress to count the vote of the Electoral College or when the President delivers the State of the Union Address. The rules do not allow him to participate in floor debates.
While he overseas procedural matters, the vice president rarely presides over day-to-day matters. In his place, the Senate chooses a president pro-tempore, normally the longest-serving senator in the majority party, to preside in the vice president’s absence. The president pro tem has the power to appoint any senator to preside over the Senate.
Edu sighed about Filipinos invoking the US “as the model of our democratic system.” If we were to adopt the American template, Gibo Teodoro and Edu could win the popular vote but could still lose through the vote of the Electoral College. Vox Populi, vox dei? Not in America.
Under the US model, our Supreme Court would have only nine justices and a jury system that is vulnerable to Pinoy graft. Our senators would be elected by provinces. Best of all, there is no term limit.
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, by the way, is coming to Manila to help speed up rehabilitation in places damaged by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. The governor, like other naturalized Americans, is qualified to run for any elective office, except president and vice president. Here, deserving candidates with foreign-sounding names risk disqualification or ejection from office over citizenship questions. The right of naturalized citizens to public office is a cause that Edu Manzano could devote himself to. (Manila Times)
BREAKING NEWS as of 01/30/2010 1:24 AM
Schwarzenegger cancels trip to Manila
MANILA, Philippines - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will no longer push through with his scheduled visit to the Philippines, ABS-CBN learned Friday.
Philippine Consul General to San Francisco Marcial Paynor said Schwarzenegger's trip was canceled due to pressing concerns in California. The announcement was made by former San Francisco Mayor Willy Brown during a San Francisco-Manila sister city committee event Thursday.
Butch Meily, executive director of the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation (PDRF), earlier announced that Schwarzenegger is set to arrive in Manila on February 7 to help with reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in areas destroyed by storms Ondoy and Pepeng last year.
Schwarzenegger, who is famous for starring in the blockbuster film franchise "Terminator" and other gun-blazing roles, has prior experience in rehabilitation efforts in New Orleans, which was battered by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Schwarzenegger has been governor of California since 2003. He is married to Kennedy scion Maria Shriver, a veteran TV journalist.
We're receiving conflicting reports. News sources say he isn't coming.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100131-250445/Schwarzenegger-wont-be-coming-after-all
So the the supposedly visit of Arnold has nothing to do with villar or edu? While this article is trying hard to link both politicians.. First the news blackout about villar messing up with pacqiuao's training camp during his prepration for the cotto fight now . Enough z enough balance and news transparency. Media are now working for this politician and it is continuesly destroying our country.
- Teodoro and especially Edu will not be elected by the people.
- The rule of the Vice President is mainly to replace the President if something does happen to the President. He is (spare)part of the executive branch of government and not legislative.
- Schwarzeneger is a dismal failure as Governor of California. California is financially bankrupt.
puhleez, arnold! why don't you stay in cali and fix the damn financial mess FIRST before you plan on going overseas and help "fix" something!
two of my friends who are public school educators just got the pink slip! Our school districts here are facing huge deficits and is FORCED to increase student/class ratio and cut on important programs and special activities for our kids!
Our local post office just closed due to NO BUDGET!! Now we have to drive miles away in traffic just for something so simple as mail!!!
I mean, these are just some minor examples. I am sure there are worse problems and situations that are happening out there.
Helping out a third world country won't fix your image arnold! Fixing and doing something about our state does!
anon 121
hey dumb ass...
the article is about a logical statement made by Edu...
"The US Constitution created the Office of the Vice President and assigned to it some legislative duties as nominal head of the Senate. The vice president is allowed to vote only to break a tie. He presides over the joint session of Congress to count the vote of the Electoral College or when the President delivers the State of the Union Address."
It does not say about him becoming Vice President.
Ang hina ng utak ninyo mga alipores ni Noynoy Aquino!
@CA anon
The US Postal Service is under the Dept. of Transportation, a federal gov't instrumentality.
@Rain Barnido: Learn how to read please. Anon 121 said "mainly" and not only. " Mainly" means for the most part, so his statement is corrrect. Why are you so angry? Take pill, will you.