Conflicting signals

What's the status of the latest Charter change initiative, called Constitutional Correction for Development? In just the first six weeks of the year, the government has changed its position several times on this controversial issue. In his report to the nation at the start of the year, President Estrada announced that he had junked Concord. As his popula-rity rating recovered slightly, he changed his mind and again made a pitch for Charter change. When criticisms once again mounted, it was announced that Concord had been frozen. In Thailand last Saturday night, President Estrada indicated he had not given up on Concord, saying it would really and truly be junked only if it fails to win public acceptance before the elections in May next year.

With such conflicting pro-nouncements, Malacañang should not wonder why President Estrada gets criticized for flip-flopping and indecision. The President is right when he says that the Philippines is once again being left behind by its neighbors as Asia recovers from the economic crisis. And no one will disagree with him when he says that the Philippines has to be made more attractive to foreign investments. At the same time, the government must help local businessmen prepare for stiff international competition.

President Estrada, however, must make up his mind on how to achieve these goals. If he is truly bent on Concord, then he must go all-out for it. There are people who think his proposed economic amendments will be good for business, who will support his campaign to win public support for Concord. His main problem -- the same one that killed the previous administration's Charter change initiative -- is that Filipinos who still remember the Marcos years see in Concord another attempt to perpetuate officials in power.

The President denies this and apparently believes he can still sway the public to his side in the Concord debate. The divisiveness and instability that such debates can generate, however, may negate whatever gains he is hoping to achieve from amending the Constitution. Is he willing to risk this for what he thinks are crucial reforms? He must choose, and he must be consistent. In the battle for hearts and minds, he can't afford to send conflicting signals.