630 cities, towns submit Cha-cha signatures

MANILA, Philippines — Up to 630 cities and municipalities have so far submitted to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) the required signature forms for the people’s initiative to amend the Constitution.

“As of this time, 630 municipalities and cities have submitted. It looks like it is increasing each day,” Comelec Chairman George Garcia said yesterday.

Garcia said the local Comelec offices are performing their ministerial duty to accept the signature forms and classify from what district those signatories belong.

If just one of the 253 districts nationwide failed to obtain the required three percent of voters, Garcia said the Comelec would automatically dismiss the petition and the people’s initiative could no longer push through.

The poll chief said local Comelec would be given 60 days to verify the signatures only after the required number were obtained and the Commission en banc found the petition to be sufficient in form and substance.

From the declaration that all requirements have been met, Garcia said Comelec is mandated to set the plebiscite within the next 90 days.

For a constitutional amendment to push through, Garcia said a majority of the votes cast during the plebiscite is needed.

Garcia, however, clarified that no formal petition has been filed before the commission and only signature forms have been submitted.

Negros Occidental signatures

In Negros Occidental, Charter change proponents have been able to gather 157,645 signatures across 11 local government units, records of the provincial Comelec office showed.

Of the 11 LGUs, highly urbanized Bacolod City gathered the most signatures with 69,098.

Bacolod City election officer lawyer Kathrina Trinio-Caña said all 61 barangays submitted signed petition to the Comelec office in the city.

Provincial Comelec supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria said on Thursday that his office can only issue a certification on the signatures gathered.

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson expressed his support to amendments of the 1987 Constitution, which should be limited to economic provisions, in whatever form.

Read before signing

Voters must read first and not just affix their signatures on any petition to amend the Constitution, Garcia advised yesterday as he stressed the importance for voters to be fully aware of what they are signing.

“Even in ordinary life, you don’t sign anything if you don’t understand what you are signing for. It needs to be from the heart, you must understand what you are signing and its implications,” Garcia said in Filipino. “People must be vigilant and always remember that every action must be for the country.”

He further noted that one of the signatories may inform the local Comelec that they are withdrawing their signatures if they realize that they do not fully understand what the petition is all about.

The local Comelec, he said, has the power to determine the regularity of each signature and may remove those on the request of the voter or upon learning such were obtained through irregular means. Garcia said bribery is one of the valid grounds for removal.

Economic Cha-cha

While declining to give its official position, newly inducted Management Association of The Philippines (MAP) president Rene Almendras said they are supportive of Charter change focused on economic reform.

“I cannot say whether we are fully supportive of the Senate version because to be honest we don’t know what that is, but if it is along the lines of economic reform, we are for it,” Almendras told reporters, emphasizing that in the past, the MAP has expressed its support to changes in the Constitution which are economic in nature.

“Because we think that [that] can make a difference as far as attracting foreign investors into the country. But beyond that, I’m sorry we are not ready to make a statement,” he said.

Asked what changes need to be made, Almendras said “many things” such as ownership caps as well industry limits that need to be opened up just like other countries. He said country competitiveness needs to be addressed.

“To stay as we are, business as usual, is going to be a real mistake because every economy in the world is already pushing its competitiveness so if we don’t do anything, we will really be left behind,” he said.

Senate drive

The Senate’s Charter change initiative will only focus on amending the 1987 Constitution’s economic provisions, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said yesterday.

He made the statement amid fears that the Senate Resolution of Both Houses 6 for an economic Charter change would pave the way for lawmakers to also tinker with the political provisions and extend their stay in power.

“Almost all the senators I had spoken to and met with only agree to economic amendments. That’s why the public need not fear our push for simple but meaningful amendments to the Charter,” Zubiri said in a message to reporters yesterday.

“I shall risk my leadership on that. No other motives whatsoever,” he added.

In RBH 6, the Senate wants to amend Articles XII (National Patrimony and Economy), XIV (Education, Science and Technology, Arts, Culture and Sports) and XVI (General Provisions) of the Constitution, and insert the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” to liberalize certain industries through legislation.

Senate will also push for a constituent assembly (con-ass), or the manner of amending the Charter through Congress, but with both chambers voting separately.

Meanwhile, Sen. Risa Hontiveros agreed with the statement of her fellow minority member Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III that the Senate was forced into dancing the “Cha-cha” amid fears it would be outnumbered by the House in a joint con-ass.

She also opposed opening up the Philippine economy to foreign ownership, as she questioned the Senate leadership for taking on the lead “triggered by multiple hidden agendas, power struggle, and in-group bickering.”

“Amending the Constitution to open more of our most crucial industries — like public utilities, education, and advertising — to 100 percent foreign ownership will only expose us to security risks and weaken our national interests in a time of global unrest,” Hontiveros said.

“Let us not get distracted by the shiny allure of Cha-cha, when, beneath all the gloss, it will only trap us in a never-ending cycle of political maneuvering,” she added.

July timeline doable

The main resident-economist in the House of Representatives expressed optimism about the seven-month timeline of the people’s initiative, saying the projected July 8 plebiscite before the third State of the Nation Address of President Marcos is achievable.

“I think the PI is already inevitable,” Rep. Joey Salceda, chairman of the House ways and means committee, told legislative reporters in a briefing. “We have achieved the signing of signatures in just three days. We thought 20 percent was hard, but it was very easy.”

The congressman from the second district of Albay also confirmed to reporters that the process may have to be done by the time Marcos delivers his SONA on July 22. “Yes, it can be done. I think we can do it,” he said, although refusing to say it will be lawmakers’ gift to Marcos.

“Pervasively, we may have 80 percent already,” he predicted. “Mind you, we are not doing anything outside of the Constitution. The point is: this should be reasonably actionable before the 2025 elections. By 2025, there will be elections. Of course, there will be elections.” – Delon Porcalla, Catherine Talavera, Gilbert Bayoran, Marc Jayson Cayabyab