Shallow waters for people's initiative?

With the recent public statement of Catholic bishops against the people's initiative, this pet project of the administration is bound to shallow waters. More religious groups such as the El Shaddai, Jesus is Lord, and lately, the Philippine Independent Church have also joined the nay sayers. These, along with some secular groups such as the IBP, the Makati Business Club, the Civil Society movement and others have also thumbed down this project. Despite these, the marching order of Malacañang is still a go.

Thus the Comelec has its hands full verifying signatures - as if its people are handwriting experts - and it would not be surprising if that body would soon come up with a positive statement on this matter. Why is the administration cocksure that it will be green lights all the way? Is it certain the Supreme Court will give its imprimatur? Already three of PGMA's initiatives were shot down by the high court. Would this one escape from the same fate?

For their part the honorable senators are of one mind to block the initiative, and of course, charter change. They feel threatened because the parliamentary thing will demolish their pedestals and scuttle their perks. Over our dead body, seems to be their war cry. Would they do a legislative Custer? It would not be surprising if they put up one.

If the Supreme Court ruling would be negative Chacha would be a lost cause. Somehow, the framers of the 1987 Constitution failed to craft a provision that prevents the Senate from blocking a move that would abolish that body. Without that provision any attempt to set up a unicameral legislature - a feature of the parliamentary system - would not prosper. Is this not a strong argument for charter change?

Parliamentary system - this is of course the rationale behind Chacha through the people's initiative. Towards charter change itself the general reaction appears favorable. The congressmen themselves are for it too, despite pockets of resistance from the opposition. Even religious groups, which oppose the people's initiative, are not really against fine tuning the Constitution.

The perception seems to be that with the switch to parliamentary governance the law making process can be simplified and facilitated since there would only be one legislative body. Obstructionism as put up by the present Senate will be a thing of the past. And since the lawmakers themselves will be running the government, the usual tug-of-war between the executive and the legislative branches will no longer exist. Skeptics there are who say that whatever form of government we adopt corruption will still hold sway because this deviant behavior resides in the Filipino character not in the structure of governance. Despite this, the mainstream outlook seems to favor charter change.

But why the snowballing resistance towards the people's initiative and charter change? The reason is PGMA herself. Because the people's mistrust of the President is also snowballing anything she does is open to questions. Politics has been seen as the window-dressing of most of her initiatives, especially the one on charter change. Many believe that her eagerness to amend the Constitution is tied to her obsession to stay in power, perhaps even beyond 2010.

This is unfortunate because mistrust is the ill wind that drives the people's initiative to shallow waters and to the rocks. Is the ship of state bound to the same inhospitable waters?

Tuning up the Constitution is a must to make it responsive to current social problems. But because the "mechanic" suffers from credibility inadequacy, many people have second thoughts about it. Perhaps, the President too should have second thoughts about constitutional reform. If she heedlessly pursues this in the face of growing opposition, she would only alienate the people further.

Perhaps, the time is not yet ripe for charter change. Perhaps, a change of heart is what's needed.