Emergency powers
It’s an emergency, so President Arroyo is said to be considering asking Congress for emergency powers to deal with the drought. Farmlands are parched, threatening the country’s food supply, and low water levels in reservoirs are threatening power supply.Mrs. Arroyo will not be the first Chief Executive to seek such emergency powers, which Palace officials emphasized would depend on whether the amount of rainfall would increase in the coming weeks. Fidel Ramos was given emergency powers by Congress shortly after he assumed the presidency in 1998 so he could put an end to the worst power crisis to hit the country. Ramos succeeded, quickly ending the eight-hour blackouts that had crippled Metro Manila for months and sent foreign investors packing to cooler climes.
But the emergency measures did not come cheap. Unable to absorb all the power generated by independent producers, consumers bore the burden of excess energy in their monthly bills. Such consequences must be considered as President Arroyo mulls asking Congress for emergency powers to deal with the drought.
There is another consideration: the use of emergency powers should not provide opportunities for state abuse or corruption. If any project requiring substantial financing will have to be undertaken quickly, the officials in charge should resist the urge to earn fat commissions in the process. From poll automation to airports and a government broadband deal, major projects in this country tend to end up tainted by scandals. Even if the drought persists, there is valid reason for critics to be wary of granting any form of emergency power, especially to an administration with a track record for the inappropriate use of its existing powers.
Yesterday lawmakers crossed party lines to oppose the grant of emergency powers. There may no longer be any need for such powers; weather experts said the drought could be over in a month. The reactions to the proposal should remind the administration that emergency powers are supposed to provide short cuts in decision-making during periods of national calamity. They are not supposed to pave the way for undermining the law.
