A passionate appeal from the audience

It was a star-studded panel that came to address a sizeable audience at the Ambassadors Lounge at the DFA last Valentine’s Day. We had the likes of HE Benjamin Domingo, Dr. Willibold Frehner, HE Jose Romero, Jr, Christian Democrat guru Louie Lagadameo, Dr. Bernardo Villegas and Atty. Camilo Sabio to lead the workshop on Charter Reform. But it was the audience who stole the show when individuals came forward to plead the cause of constitutional change now. It truly enthralled because of the verve and passion of their appeal. It was Dr. Bernie Villegas’s remark while answering a query from HE Alberto Pedrosa that constitutional reform can perhaps wait –2004, 2005 – there is nothing so urgent – that set the room on fire with anger. It was not going to be another ho-hum forum when former Ambassador Datu Abul Alonto took to the floor and told the audience in so many words that ‘it is already too late in the day’ if we think it can wait.

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The little window for peaceful change comes from the promise of constitutional refom. That would give Muslim Mindanao a federalist option and keep violence at bay. And then came a fiery but well-informed harangue from former governor, Jhalmar Quintana from Quezon. We jumped from our seats when he said without mincing any words about taxing the church, breaking dynasties, genuinely implementing land reform and so forth and so on.That level of passion was exhibited by other participants as they came forward. They were not really asking questions, the roles had been reversed. Instead of listening to the panelists, they wanted to teach their more learned compatriots the fundamental lesson that in the the end, all this talk must lead to action otherwise we are just wasting time.

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The Valentine’s Day workshop might not have been a survey but the questioners made a point I would not have conceived when we first began the campaign for constitutional reform. I have often thought that reformists were perhaps talking to the walls, uselessly debating mode and timing. I had half-expected that the forum would be another sleeper with erudite speakers talking to an impassive audience. Not at all. The speakers may know their stuff but what the questioners on the floor taught us all was that knowledge means nothing if it cannot be put into effect - into changing lives and into pushing this country forward. It was a revelation.

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A People’s Summit on Monday, February 24. It may not have been intended but that Valentine’s Day forum was wittingly or unwittingly the best introduction to the People’s Summit that we have scheduled for Monday, February 24, from 8 am to 4.30 pm at the Club Filipino. Already some 800 organizations have signed in to be represented in this grand public debut for constitutional change. More requests for invitations coming in and we foresee a very crowded town hall meeting of sorts in historic Kalayaan Hall in this joint project of the Consultative Group for Constitutional Reform and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. The centerpiece of the summit will be a statement with the following question in bold letters: Shall we move forward or get stuck forever? And the subheading: An urgent and firm call of support for constitutional reform.

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The premises are laid down for seeking the reforms urgently needed and so long as you genuinely want reform the debate on what mode it should take or when it should be done becomes a secondary question that ought to be resolved in a town hall meeting envisioned at the Club Filipino from from 8 to 4.30. It is expected that some consensus can be formed so that debate will now move into action. The statement challenges elected officials to act as they have been empowered and enjoined to act by the Constitution . The urgency of the need requires the most expeditious form decreed by the Constitution — a constituent assembly. If some senators and congressmen/women refuse to act it will be a dereliction of duty. Talking about a constitutional convention in 2004 is escapist because that is not going to happen. And there will be a historical reckoning for such failure

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GMA recognizes Joe de V’s work in Congress. At the blessing of The Haven for Children on Zapote Road, President Arroyo dedicated a good portion of her speech praising Speaker Jose de Venecia so some have begun reading into the extraordinary length she had gone to praise him. She called him a "political ally and a great and reliable ally in meaningful legislation for the good of our people." If he was able to consolidate his leadership in Congress to pass urgently needed bills she said, it was thanks in part to the background of support from the congressional spouses’ group. "My admiration for Joe is for his very high sense of national interest and the fortitude with which he pursues it even at the risk of great political cost." No wonder Joe de V was in seventh heaven that day and it was not only because of Gina’s successful project and a happy birthday bash.

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Filipino first-hand account on Iraq. From businesswoman Maria Veronica Carandang who was in Baghdad with some 70 business people , she sent interesting information about Iraq. The group was accompanied by the Philippine Ambassador to Iraq then, Amb. Reynaldo Parungao and Iraqi Ambassador to the Philippines then, Amb. Dr. Salah N. Samarmad, then Presidential Adviser and ARMM Gov. Dr. Parouk Hussin and officials from the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Health and Labor.

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Here ‘s what she says of that trip: " It turned out to be an eye opener for all of us. We found out Iraq had no foreign exchange at all due to the sanctions and the business people would not be able to issue Letters of Credit to suppliers among us, except through Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates. The biggest buyer of products and services is the government who signs the contracts after the suppliers have won the biddings. These contracts are then sent to the United Nations which issues Letters of Credit through BNP, the depository bank for the money of Iraq which comes from its oil sales. The UN lists products and services that can be allowed to enter Iraq. Unfortunately the Philippines does not trade with Iraq.while the rest of Asia have millions and hundreds of millions of dollars of trade since 1996. You’d think that with our economic difficulties we would take advantage of these business prospects. We can begin by supplying them with medicines, medical supplies, equipment and other requirements in their hospitals. On ordinary Iraqis she met in universities, hotels, restaurants, and the market place, she says many of them have college even masters and doctorate degrees. During the good times, many of them were schooled in London and the United States.

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