Biting the bullet

However its enemies may want to kill Charter change, the fact is it is alive and well and kicking. The game to kill Charter change with the accusation that it seeks only to extend the term of President Arroyo is happening in surveys and newspaper headlines.

More true perhaps is that Charter change advocacy thrives on many fronts, quietly but surely, among ordinary citizens and their representatives in Congress. The scale and strength of its following is difficult to determine numerically until it is voted upon in a plebiscite. But the debate goes on among local authorities because of the federalist option, in Congress with an emphasis on for a shift to parliamentary government, in Mindanao where Muslims are open to a federal state in lieu of separatism, and among businessmen (not oligarchs) who are for more liberal economic measures.

You need only attend the hearings of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments to confirm this. This week, the committee approved on a vote of 6-1 to adopt a consolidated concurrent draft resolution calling for a constitutional convention with the election of delegates coinciding with the May 2010 elections. The single objecting vote came from Liza Masa of the so-called “progressive group” headed by Cong. Satur Ocampo but who was not even present. The committee is chaired by La Union Rep. Victor Ortega who has reached out patiently to the opponents of the resolution in statesmanlike fashion, often to the chagrin of other members who expressed their frustration that the discussion was going in circles. Congressman Domogan and Congressman Zialcita both expressed the general feeling that decisions of the committees should not be held captive of a few whose intent is simply to block Charter change as Charter change in whatever mode and whatever time. They both used the fighting words — let us bite the bullet. However difficult it may seem with the 2010 elections just several months away, the task before the committee is to discuss the various proposals for a constitutional convention into one resolution. If there were differences among its members they should vote upon it. The resolution in toto was approved in the last meeting. Shortly after the vote, the progressive Liza Masa raised her hand to question yet again the issues on what they had just voted upon.

But she did not have her way this time with the other members of the committee resisting the ploy of objection. There were differences of opinion as far as details of the implementing law was concerned ie qualifications of delegates and the budget for the constitutional convention, among others. These will be threshed out in another meeting scheduled on September 8. Once fleshed out, HR 45 will be ready to put the proposal before the plenary. Interviewed on the sidelines, Cong. Ortega who was a colleague in the Constitutional Commission told me that in fairness to President GMA, she had never talked to him about Charter change even in private conversations.

Pressed by reporters who wanted a more definite timeframe for the House Resolution, he said “I will not report it out (to the plenary) until I have the flesh,” Ortega answered.

The six who voted in favor of adopting the draft resolution were Agusan del Norte Rep. Edelmiro Amante, Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III, Baguio City Rep. Mauricio Domogan, Parañaque City Rep. Eduardo Zialcita, Negros Oriental Rep. George Arnaiz, and Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr.

 Barzaga, who led the consolidation of some 11 measures proposing a constitutional convention. said he was confident that a constitutional convention will be more acceptable to the other members of Congress.

A constituent assembly as proposed in HR 1109 drew a storm of protest from anti-Charter change sectors. This is unfortunate because in most countries a constitutional convention is not the appropriate mode for seeking amendments. With only a few provisions to be amended a constituent assembly could do the work at less cost and more efficient manner. There is a grave misunderstanding that is not being met frontally by our representatives about the wisdom of a constituent assembly when amendments are required. On the other hand, historically, a constitutional convention is resorted to after a revolution, peaceful or otherwise as it was with the 1987 Constitution. Moreover, it is worth reminding Filipinos again and again that although the 1987 was approved overwhelmingly in a referendum, surveys conducted six months after found that more than 70 percent said they did not know why they voted for it.

Interestingly, while a lot of work has been put to the HR 45 for a constitutional convention, HR 1109 is still on the table as also is the Nograles economic proposal. HR 1109 is not yet “dead,” as the Rules committee has yet to decide what to do with it. So we have at this time all three simultaneous proposals in Congress. When you put together these movements in Congress and the Charter change advocacies among local authorities then it would be foolish to think Charter Change is dead. It is only for those who want to believe it is so.

Admittedly, Charter change advocacy is one of the most difficult tasks for lawmakers, but as Domogan and Zialcita said vehemently we have to bite the bullet. I agree with them and so do many advocates who will make their own moves if they see that it would be futile to rely on a divided Congress.

*      *      *

To commemorate the 60th anniversary of Philippine-Korean diplomatic relations, the Korean National Red Cross gave some 2,000 boxes of school materials for students in the poorer sections of the country. The materials were received by Senator Richard Gordon who is also Philippine National Red Cross chairman. Korean Ambassador Choi Joong-Kyung, representing the Korean National Red Cross gave the donation at a ceremony on a Republic of Korea Navy Cruise Training Flotilla.

 “This will ensure that our less fortunate schoolchildren have some of the things they need in school, while the toiletries will help them stay healthy,” Gordon said of the donation that came packed into 2,000 boxes, each containing a notebook, pencil, eraser, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap and construction toy.

At the ceremony I met the ship’s public relations officer who gave me some drawings on Korean culture. I was especially curious about one which showed a teacher with his students circled around him. The Korean said a teacher was not just a teacher in a traditional Korean school like this. He was everything combined — teacher, exemplar, father, friend — so it is one of the most highly revered positions in Korean society. There were still many Koreans who favor the old system of education.