Barangay assemblies report heavy turnout

A heavy turnout in the conduct of yesterday’s barangay assemblies nationwide indicated resounding popular support for moves to amend the 1987 Constitution, a coalition of multisectoral groups reported.

The "Sigaw ng Bayan Movement," an umbrella organization of some 100 people’s organizations (POs), non-government organizations (NGOs) and other sectoral groups, said in a statement that while local concerns were tackled in these assemblies, a majority of the participants expressed full support for Charter change.

The group said initial reports reaching its national secretariat showed that, in many assemblies where Charter change was among the issues discussed, a majority of participants expressed support for constitutional reforms via the people’s initiative mode.

Sigaw ng Bayan spokesman Raul Lambino said that in Metro Manila, the assemblies in Barangays Sauyo and Roxas District in Quezon City and BF Homes in Parañaque City were among the areas where a consensus was reached agreeing on the urgent need for constitutional reforms.

At the same time, Lambino debunked allegations by some quarters that money was offered to those who agreed to sign the people’s initiative petition seeking Cha-cha or Charter change, saying the coalition neither received government funding nor engaged in bribery to entice people to attend the forums.

"If ever there were record numbers of participants, it was only because our people have come to realize that they have to take it upon themselves to initiate genuine reforms," Lambino said, "instead of relying on Metro Manila-based political leaders who have failed to push Charter change because they have their own personal interests to protect."

In a separate report, local government executives who are members of the 1.7-million strong Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) belied claims that people were either hauled to barangay assemblies or paid to support a petition for a people’s initiative towards Charter Change.

ULAP officials said the massive and spontaneous turnouts at these forums only proved that an overwhelming majority of Filipinos now want genuine reforms to supplant a flawed political system, which has only spawned instability and impeded economic growth.

ULAP president and Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado said the attendance at barangay assemblies was voluntary. He added that the participants expressed interest and participated actively in forums where Charter reforms were discussed.

Naval, Biliran Mayor Gerry Espina, spokesman for the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP), said there was no way for local executives in his province to have meddled in the barangay assemblies because seven of the eight mayors were at a two-day workshop on inter-zonal health in Cebu co-sponsored by the German Technical Cooperation and the Department of Health (DOH).

"How can the mayors be giving out money or sacks of rice to supposedly convince people to attend the assemblies when they are all attending the two-day conference in Cebu?" Espina asked, adding that he failed to attend the Cebu conference because he was sick.

"The unprecedented turnout in many barangay assemblies where Charter change was discussed only goes to show that the people are now genuinely interested in the issue and want to hear for themselves how they can directly benefit from constitutional reforms, once these are in place," Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone said. Evardone is spokesman for the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP).

He said unsubstantiated claims of money changing hands in these assemblies are not true: "Walang hakutan o bayaran dito (There was no crowd-ferrying or payment here). The people came on their own because they were interested (in learning) about constitutional reforms and how they themselves could effect systemic changes to improve their lives."

Evardone said even barangay officials were surprised at the huge turnouts at barangays where only 30 to 50 people would previously show up for the assemblies.

"They said that many residents trooped to the forums when they heard that the issue of Charter change would be discussed," he said.

ULAP, the umbrella organization of the various leagues of provincial governors, vice governors, city mayors, municipal mayors, vice mayors, barangay officials, councilors and provincial board members, has committed to join forces with private groups in building a massive base of support for a people’s initiative to push Charter amendments.

Aumentado, who also heads the LPP, earlier called on the people to actively participate in the barangay assemblies so they could air their sentiments on major issues.

He said the united front presented by local government units (LGUs) and grassroots-based organizations in pushing a people’s initiative will show to everyone, especially Manila-based politicians resisting constitutional reforms, "that the clamor for Charter change is real and should not go unheeded because it enjoys wide and deep support, most especially in the countryside."

Initial reports, he said, indicated that an average of 100 to 200 people attended each barangay assembly, a marked increase from previous forums.

In some places, the turnout was as high as 1,000 for each barangay, such as Barangays De La Paz, San Roque, San Isidro and Mayamot in Antipolo City, where 500 to 1,000 people had attended each assembly.

These partial figures were based on initial reports sent by local leaders to the Sigaw ng Bayan secretariat in Quezon City, as of Saturday noon.

"The record attendance in these barangay assemblies, where an overwhelming majority of the participants expressed their support for constitutional reforms, is the most telling mark that most of our people are fed up with all the political strife and executive-legislative gridlock induced by our flawed political and economic systems and now believe that the only way to correct these systemic defects is through Charter change," Lambino said.

Efren de Luna, national president of the transport group PCDO-ACTO, reported that in Bagong Silang in Caloocan City, over 1,000 residents who attended the barangay assembly were "initially hostile" to Charter change but were later more open to the issue following the explanation of Charter change issues given by Sigaw ng Bayan members.

In Barangay Pajo, also in Caloocan, some 350 residents who attended the barangay assembly expressed interest in Charter change.

Some 960 participants turned up at Barangay Tonsoya and 840 in Barangay Tanyong in Malabon City, where Charter change was discussed during the assembly.

A majority of the participants were interested in the issue of constitutional reforms, according to Alberto Ong, chairman of the Alliance for Peace and Development.

But in Barangay Tenejeros in the same town, Ong said, 83 participants who showed up at the barangay assembly did not support the people’s initiative.

"This is genuine democracy in action," Lambino said. "Taking the urgent issue of constitutional reforms to the grassroots have given our people the first ever opportunity to openly express their views on such an important concern, whether it be for or against Charter change."

"That there are certain places where participants said they were not supporting Charter change, is the best proof that there was no systematic effort to rig these barangay assemblies, as had been claimed by some quarters," Lambino said.

Interior and Local Governments Secretary Ronaldo Puno clarified that his department had nothing to do with the signature campaign for a people’s initiative: "Labas kami diyan. Ang gusto namin matiyak, at kung maipapatupad ng tama, ang batas, dahil ang barangay assembly ay required na gawin dalawang beses isang taon (We’re not involved in that. What we want to ensure is, if the implementation is correct, the law, because holding the barangay assembly is required twice a year)."

Puno reiterated his assurance that he would file charges against those in the Department of the Interior and Local Governments (DILG) or local officials who receive payoffs in exchange for signatures.