FPJ should form his own Shadow Government.

Just in case something happens to GMA, o bigla na lang siyang natanggal sa pwesto.

Read the Rudy Romero's article for more details.

UPDATE: Sorry, the link doesn't work anymore, so here's the article in full.

FPJ should form shadow Cabinet

Monday, 08 23, 2004

The feature of the parliamentary form of government that its partisans find most attractive is the possibility it offers for removing a substandard government before the end of its term. The prospect of being stuck with a bad government for four or five or six years is a source of dread and doubt for those who otherwise prefer the presidential form of government.

The key to the flexibility of the parliamentary system of government is the procedure known as the no-confidence motion. When the opposition in the legislature is able to muster enough votes to carry such motion, the government falls and, if the ruling party cannot put together a new coalition, new elections are scheduled. The passage of the motion does away with the need to suffer a bumbling or corrupt government for many years.

The concomitant of the parliamentary system's ability to bring down an administration at any time during its term is the opposition's need to be ready at all times to take over the reins of government. The opposition must have in place a set of people who will be ready to assume, on short notice, the portfolios that make up the Executive branch of the government.

The leader of the opposition must have in place what is known as a shadow Cabinet.

For every number of a regular Cabinet there is a counterpart in the shadow Cabinet. Thus, there is a shadow secretary (or minister) of Foreign Affairs, a shadow secretary of National Defense, a shadow secretary of Finance, and so forth. A shadow Cabinet must be complete.

The function of a member of a shadow Cabinet is to monitor and critique the performance - the acts and the utterances - of his counterpart in the Cabinet of the day. Thus, the shadow secretary of Justice will monitor the sayings and doings of the regular secretary of Justice and he is expected to speak for the opposition in all matters relating to the government department to which he is assigned. If a tax matter came before the legislature, the shadow secretary of Finance would be expected to speak for the opposition and if a defense issue were to be raised there, the shadow secretary of National Defense would be the person to carry the ball for the opposition.

It is a great system. In fact, the shadow Cabinet concept is one of the most attractive features of the parliamentary system of government.

Although this country's system of government is the presidential type, the idea of a shadow Cabinet can be borrowed and employed to great advantage. Since Cabinets are formed by the leader of the opposition - the Prime Minister or, in the French or Egyptian model, the President - a shadow Cabinet in this country should be formed by the titular head of the opposition. That is Fernando Poe Jr., who led the opposition to victory (denied him by Congress and the Commission on Elections) in the last May 10, 2004 polls.

It is difficult to say when the Presidential Electoral Tribunal will issue its decision declaring FPJ as the winner of the last May elections. It could well take a long time. But the opposition needs to be ready to take over the administration of the nation when that day comes. The way to bring that about is the formation by FPJ of a shadow Cabinet. In the absence of a parliament-type governmental structure, the shadow Cabinet will work in close coordination with Sen. Edgardo Angara, Rep. Francis Escudero and the rest of the opposition leadership in Congress.

With a shadow Cabinet in place, there will be structure and order in the activities of the opposition. FPJ will be kept informed at all times of developments in Finance, National Defense, Foreign Affairs and the other areas of governmental operations. In monitoring the actions and statements of the members of the government of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the opposition will convey to the Filipino people an image of ability and preparedness to perform the key functions of government it will provide the Filipino people with a good picture of the kind of national administration they can expect when the day of FPJ's assumption of office comes.

Who should FPJ appoint to his shadow Cabinet? That's a matter for consultations with both the congressional and non-congressional elements of the opposition. The accent should be on quality and individual worth.