MANILA, Philippines - Neophyte Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is in favor of starting the debate on Charter change, but he believes that former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s move to amend the Constitution will not prosper.
“Her filing has practically meant that it will fail. We need Charter change now because of many problems with the bureaucracy... so why wait? What are we waiting for? Define to me when is the good time,” Marcos said during last Thursday’s Kapihan sa Senado.
“The Constitution is more relevant and more appropriate to the times. That was written 23 years ago, a lot of things has changed. I cannot see why we should wait. The problems are well-identified, the different possible solutions have been proposed so we should start talking about it,” he said.
Marcos, the son and namesake of the former dictator, noted that the moves to start Cha-cha debates have been associated with the former president’s intent to expand her powers.
There are speculations that Arroyo wants to become prime minister under a new form of government, which can only be pursued once the Constitution is amended.
Marcos said he is in favor of Cha-cha whether through constituent assembly or constitutional convention for as long as the initiative won’t be used to pursue one’s political agenda.
“That is the fear that the people have had. We had hoped that the fear would go away,” he said.
Marcos, in a separate interview, said that his priorities as a first-term senator are focused on agricultural development and food security; energy sufficiency, diversification, lower power costs; tourism development and jobs generation; infrastructure modernization; and support for local government and devolution of resources and responsibilities.
In his first act as senator, Marcos, who ran and won under the Nacionalista Party, filed and co-sponsored a bill with detained Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV that would extend PhilHealth insurance access to all Filipinos.
In last May’s national campaign, he said he was in favor of Charter change through constitutional convention and wants to introduce a provision for a runoff in presidential elections so that a clear majority will be attained by the new president; making senatorial elections by region and the opening up of foreign investment and removal of limitation of foreign ownership, including media.
“I think we can do it in such a way that the debates will not lead to term extension or return to power of GMA, and that’s what the people are worried about. What I’m saying is that that is the view of the ordinary Filipinos,” he said.