(Book Review) the Rule Makers
BOOK REVIEW
THE RULE MAKERS
HOW THE WEALTHY AND WELL BORN DOMINATE CONGRESS The congress or the House of Representatives and the Senate or the upper house are the two components of the legislative branch of the Philippine government. They are meant to pass bills, create laws, and approve budgets that benefit their constituents and the nation as a whole. In theory, this is the ideal upon which they were built, they would legislate for the people to best serve them and to ensure the nations capacity to carry out the legislation that they pass and that they are aligned with the needs of the people they represent. This is not the case however, even as we step in to the 15th congress the House of Representatives is still truly not representative. Since the 1898 Malolos Congress to our 15th congress, The Filipino people have witnessed, participated, fought and experienced how senators and congressmen handle the power and opportunity they gain from membership in this institution. The way in which the power and privileges that come from their positions are used are often kept secret and outside the knowledge of their voters and even if it was known it is beyond the power of the citizenry to interfere in most cases. The Constitution imposes limitations and prohibitions and there are also general guidelines and principle of law that should be followed, however they do not seem enough of a deterrent to reduce or eradicate the illegitimate, illegal, manipulative, selfish, self serving, patronage, and entrenching actions of (some or most) those in the legislature of the government. The book demonstrates and presents the flaws, dealings, requisites, anomalies and various other deeds that have taken root and have become day to day practice in the Philippine Congress. It was never intended to be the enclave where the elite could make more money, power, and connections but rather where the interests of the people were to be represented and addressed. In
THE RULE MAKERS
HOW THE WEALTHY AND WELL BORN DOMINATE CONGRESS The congress or the House of Representatives and the Senate or the upper house are the two components of the legislative branch of the Philippine government. They are meant to pass bills, create laws, and approve budgets that benefit their constituents and the nation as a whole. In theory, this is the ideal upon which they were built, they would legislate for the people to best serve them and to ensure the nations capacity to carry out the legislation that they pass and that they are aligned with the needs of the people they represent. This is not the case however, even as we step in to the 15th congress the House of Representatives is still truly not representative. Since the 1898 Malolos Congress to our 15th congress, The Filipino people have witnessed, participated, fought and experienced how senators and congressmen handle the power and opportunity they gain from membership in this institution. The way in which the power and privileges that come from their positions are used are often kept secret and outside the knowledge of their voters and even if it was known it is beyond the power of the citizenry to interfere in most cases. The Constitution imposes limitations and prohibitions and there are also general guidelines and principle of law that should be followed, however they do not seem enough of a deterrent to reduce or eradicate the illegitimate, illegal, manipulative, selfish, self serving, patronage, and entrenching actions of (some or most) those in the legislature of the government. The book demonstrates and presents the flaws, dealings, requisites, anomalies and various other deeds that have taken root and have become day to day practice in the Philippine Congress. It was never intended to be the enclave where the elite could make more money, power, and connections but rather where the interests of the people were to be represented and addressed. In