GMA willing to sacrifice popularity for Cha-cha

FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio — President Arroyo said yesterday amending the Constitution for the sake of lasting political and economic reforms "is a cause worth fighting for" and that she is willing to sacrifice whatever is left of her popularity to see Cha-cha or Charter change through.

Addressing the "Mandala" Class 2006 graduates of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) here, the President said the nation "must have courage to change our economic system and to overhaul the policies and institutions of government so that our economy works for the poor, not just the rich."

"I have made tough decisions. My economic journey has not been easy, and my popularity has suffered, but it is a cause worth fighting for," Mrs. Arroyo said, referring to her administration’s fiscal reform measures — including the 12-percent value-added tax — to reduce the budget deficit.

"Political reform won’t be any easier than economic reform and my popularity may suffer again, but it is another cause worth fighting for," she said.

Mrs. Arroyo pointed out that "to drive the road ahead, we must be looking forward, not through the rear view mirror."

The Arroyo administration is pushing for amendments to the Constitution to shift the form of government to a unicameral parliamentary system and lift restrictive economic provisions that hamper the entry of foreign investments as well as implement judicial and electoral reforms.

According to the administration’s timetable, a new Constitution would be in place in the middle of the year with the formation of an interim parliament by July. It is waging a two-pronged Charter change campaign in Congress for the convening of a constituent assembly, and through local governments by way of a people’s initiative.

Mrs. Arroyo said she recognizes that many aspects of society "must be fixed and transformed if our nation is to join the First World within the next 20 years."

She also told the new graduates that building a modern nation is not only about having an updated Constitution but having a military as strong and as modern as the nation it serves.

The President said while the government is focusing much attention on Charter change, it is also investing heavily in the Armed Forces’ modernization.

"We have a plan to modernize our economy, and we will fulfill it. We have a plan to modernize our system of government, and we will fulfill it. And we have a plan to reform our military to protect and strengthen our nation, and we will fulfill it," Mrs. Arroyo said.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye challenged Mrs. Arroyo’s critics and those opposed to the people’s initiative to observe for themselves the campaign at the local level "and hear for themselves what the people have to say about their own destiny."

He said the opposition should welcome — "and not demean or resist" — the people’s initiative to amend the Constitution as this brings the Cha-cha campaign directly to Filipinos.

Bunye said the barangay assemblies that form part of the people’s initiative are symbols "of democracy at work."

"Everyone has been saying that we must listen to the voice of the people. This is the time to do it. Let us take the debate down to the grassroots and discover their genuine sentiments. For too long, all we have heard is the ranting of pretenders who are just out to grab headlines," he said.

Meanwhile, the 15-member Charter Change Advocacy Commission (AdCom) will coordinate with local government units to push for Cha-cha by way of a people’s initiative.

"We (AdCom commissioners) are not really part of the people’s initiative. But we will do a separate sortie. Our mandate is to inform and educate (people on Charter change). We should give the people an informed choice," said AdCom chairman and former presidential consultative commission (con-com) on Charter Change secretary general Lito Monico Lorenzana.

Earlier, Malacañang defended the campaign for a people’s initiative to amend the Constitution, saying local government units and Filipinos are growing impatient with delays in implementing Cha-cha due to bickering between the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Bunye said the people’s initiative is one of the three modes of amending the Charter and described it as "real democracy in action." He added that the people’s initiative "brings the fundamental issue of political reforms to the grassroots."

During the term of former President Fidel Ramos, the Supreme Court quashed a similar move for a people’s initiative through a signature campaign, ruling that there were no implementing rules and regulations to enable the use of the method to carry out Charter amendments.

Barangay leaders are set to hold assemblies to gather signatures and push for Cha-cha through a people’s initiative.

The people’s initiative campaign entails the gathering of at least six million signatures from eligible voters to pave the way for Charter change.

The AdCom is now busy holding a nationwide information drive to impress on the public the importance and urgency of a Charter change.

According to Lorenzana, AdCom commissioners have conducted information sorties in Davao City, Boracay in Aklan, Cebu City, Bukidnon, Butuan, Agusan del Norte, Pangasinan, Baguio City, Zambales, Bataan and Pampanga.

After the Holy Week break, the AdCom will resume its sorties in Metro Manila and in key areas in the Visayas and Mindanao.

"We will conduct these workshops as a group to inform the people. We also have personal commitments as commissioners to talk to various civic groups about Charter change," Lorenzana said.

In pushing for Cha-cha, AdCom commissioners said they will try to convince people of the need to change the country’s form of government to a unicameral parliamentary system, adopt a federal structure of government and lift citizenship restrictions on the ownership and control of various industries such as mining, education, land development and even the media. — With Mike Frialde