Everyone is for Charter change, says advocacy commission

Practically everyone supports the move to amend the Constitution, the Malacañang-backed Charter Change Advocacy Commission (AdCom) said yesterday.

Citing the string of public discussions the commission has facilitated, AdCom chairman Lito Monico Lorenzana said "debates are on the upswing. But not only that, it also appears from our talks with various sectors, including some seeming opponents, that they want some form of constitutional amendment or large-scale revision."

At the same time, the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP)’s just-concluded provincial summits in Masbate and Catanduanes and gathered more "constitutional warriors" who will help in the information campaign on the need for constitutional reforms.

Meanwhile, Sigaw ng Bayan spokesman Raul Lambino challenged Charter change (Cha-cha) opponents in the Senate and other sectors to "stop acting like a lethargic crab pulling down grassroots efforts for genuine development."

Lorenzana said that in the course of their discussions with various sectors, AdCom members learned that even some critics of Charter change are now becoming open to it and are only questioning the manner of amending it.

"Even the STOP (Sa Tamang Oras at Panahon) Cha-Cha movement of opposition leaders are for some amendments, but are critical only of the manner of amending or transitory provisions. But that is the beauty of democracy. We are able to discuss issues, let the best ideas distill, and make our voices heard by our leaders," he said.

According to Lorenzana, the business sector and the Roman Catholic Church are not against Charter change but are only critical of the manner by which the amendments will be introduced.

He also said more and more organizations from the youth, women’s, farmers and urban poor sectors are supporting the move to amend the Charter.

"At the very least, people’s organizations and politicians want electoral improvements. Half of the reforms recommended by retired Chief Justice Hilario Davide, as presidential adviser on electoral reforms, need constitutional amending, such as the return to a two-party system and curbs on excessive campaign spending," Lorenzana said.

He added that they "expect this craving for information to build up and take the country by storm."

Lorenzana said that at this stage, there appears to be many critics of Charter change because the issue is still in the process of discussion.

"This makes it look like there are many opponents. We are undergoing a process, we are identifying the defects and weaknesses of our Constitution, which have dampened economic progress and gridlocked our politics. But amidst the seeming confusion, at the end of the day, everyone is for Charter change after all," he said.

Right track, right time

Provincial Board Members League of the Philippines national president Allan Zulueta said some 100 local officials and representatives of non-government organizations in Masbate have committed to support the "ULAP sa TOP (Tamang Oras at Panahon)" campaign on constitutional reforms at the municipal and barangay levels, while another batch of 50 new recruits in Catanduanes have also volunteered to lead the drive for Charter change in their province.

"These newly recruited constitutional warriors will help explain in their provinces why ULAP sa TOP is on the right track in pushing sweeping reforms that will put an end to decades of political conflict along with other stumbling blocks to rapid economic growth," said Zulueta, who chairs the ULAP advocacy committee on Charter change.

He said these new recruits "will tell the people why now is the right time to amend the Constitution that would pave the way for a parliamentary system of government."

Zulueta said Masbate provincial officials, led by Gov. Antonio Kho, expressed support for the people’s initiative to amend the constitution during the weekend summit held at Masbate City.

In Virac’s Capitol Dome, Catanduanes Gov. Leandro Verceles also hosted a weekend summit to train some 50 spokespersons for Charter change. They will be deployed to municipalities and barangays to convince their provincemates of the urgency of constitutional reforms leading to a shift to a parliamentary system of government.

For his part, Lambino called on the Senate to focus on setting up a political environment conducive to lasting social reform and economic development.

He issued the call in response to a Social Weather Stations survey, released last March, which found that 58 percent of Filipinos agree that "the opposition against (Mrs. Arroyo) should start helping to improve the country and stop too much politics."

"Filipinos are sick and tired of the destabilization stance taken by political groups and personalities critical of the government and Charter change efforts," Lambino said, challenging those against Charter change to a debate that would help the public make an informed choice on the issue.

He said public debates on Charter change would be informative and productive, compared to "demonizing the people’s initiative through misinformation about Charter change."

Critics of the parliamentary set-up have charged that the prime minister, who heads the parliamentary government, is not directly elected by the people. 

Lambino, however, said it has been our country’s experience that presidential candidates are "pre-selected by financiers and power-brokers."

"What use is direct-voting then if your choice is limited to those who had been pre-selected?" he asked.

Lambino said that under a parliamentary system, the people would elect members of parliament and the MPs would elect from among themselves the prime minister.

"So here is a situation where it’s the electorate who are sending to parliament their own candidate for the country’s highest office," he said.

Lambino claimed the parliamentary system suits the Filipino culture, unlike the presidential form, which "is alien to our tradition."

He said that the Malolos Constitution enshrined a parliamentary set-up of government "but the Americans came and imposed on us a presidential system."

On the government’s perceived instability to function under a parliamentary set-up, Lambino saw the situation as a "strength of parliament," rather than its weakness.

"If the Parliament does not work well, the people will clamor for change," he said, adding that the erring parliament will be dissolved and a new one will be elected and installed in its place.

More unrest

Meanwhile, the independent think tank IBON Foundation yesterday said the people’s initiative to amend the Constitution could result in more social unrest.

In a statement, IBON research director Antonio Tujan Jr. said the signature drive to call for a referendum on changing the presidential form of government to a unicameral parliamentary has two purposes: to undercut Cha-cha through the convening of a constituent assembly and to create a bandwagon effect on public opinion.

Tujan said the results of IBON’s March 2006 nationwide survey indicated that most people opposed the Arroyo administration’s moves to change the constitution. Of the 68 percent of respondents who were aware of the government’s efforts to bring about Charter change moves, 76 percent replied that they were not in favor of such moves.

He said that while the government has the organization and resources to gather sufficient signatures to call for a referendum, it does not mean that they have the support of the majority of Filipinos. He pointed out that on the contrary, as the IBON survey shows, there is actually a backlash against Charter change.

Tujan said that if government continues to push through with its drive for a people’s initiative, then popular unrest could result, similar to that which broke out when martial law was declared in 1972.

He warned that the administration could only quell this turmoil through force — a move that would further erode popular support for Mrs. Arroyo and lead to yet another political crisis for her and her administration. — With James Mananghaya, Teddy Molina