A 'quickie' for the House?

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor CEDELF P. TUPAS Sports Editor (On Leave) RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

The President will deliver her annual State of the Nation Address this afternoon but, as of this writing, it is still not known if the House of Representatives had already ended the impasse over the choice of the one who will head that body as its Speaker. The latest news we had was that even a caucus called by the President in an attempt to solve the problem did not take place because of stonewalling from both sides.

It is so strange to think that we have such group composed of men and women chosen by the various districts in our provinces and cities to form the so-called Lower House of our law-making body. They are supposed to represent the best minds as they are expected to play a major role in the crafting of laws to be adopted by the government and implemented by our people.

And yet, just like what happened in our latest political exercise, there is also indecision, and, possibly, a lot of bluffing going around as to who has the longer list of supporters. Aside from not being able to make a clear choice, they can also not decide whether or not they will elect their speaker by the usual viva voce method, or by secret voting, so as not to embarrass potential "balimbings".

Such developments can only confirm the perception of our people that the solons they had voted for are not very decisive ones, with only a few imbued with what they like to describe as "political will." And this does not augur well for their future deliberations on measures supposed to provide the greatest good for us all.

Maybe they had been able to make a quickie decision or compromise since last night. Whether they have, or not, it is already implanted in their constituents' minds that, perhaps there is not much they can expect, except measures spawned by bickerings, interventions, and, very possibly, compromise.*