There is no more argument that our fundamental law of the land should be amended. The realities of the times and the challenges that our country and people are facing today calls for a basic charter that allows our nation to have the readiness to compete in a largely globalized economic and political community.
We need to have a charter and organic act that assures our people a strong but flexible capability to stand as a respected member of the community of nations, one which is able to protect our territorial and political boundaries, our national patrimony, as well as our national security and foreign affairs - a charter that above all assures our people a life of peace and prosperity.
The only issue before us is how to go about changing our fundamental law. From the original plan of a Constitutional Convention, the president has recently expressed his openness to a Constituent Assembly, and the change of heart appears to have been triggered by the only consideration of cost, estimated to be not less than seven billion pesos, only for a start.
The House leadership has expressed concurrence with the second option. But many leaders both in and outside the government have declared their opposition to Con-Ass. They don't trust the traditional politicians to tinker with our most important legal and political document.
Under Article XVII of our present Constitution, there are three options: first, Congress itself by a vote of three-fourths of all its members; second, by a Constitutional convention; and third, by the peoples' own initiative, upon a petition of at least twelve percent of the total 54 million registered voters nationwide.
The first, a Con-Con requires a national election to choose delegates to the convention. The second, Con-Ass does not need any election as the incumbent legislators have already been elected. The third one requires no less than the signatures of at least 6.4 million Filipino registered voters.
It can be recalled that the 1934 Constitutional Convention was done by elected delegates. Cebu had fourteen delegates representing the seven congressional districts, namely Paulino Gullas, founder of our The Freeman, Filemon Y. Sotto, Vicente Y. Sotto, Manuel C. Briones, Mariano Jesus Cuenco, Nicolas Rafols, Antonio Mansueto, Antonio Ybanez, Casiano Carin, Cesar Kintanar, Dionisio Nierre, Filesmeno Rivera, Juanito Maramara, and Hilario Moncado. The 1971 Constitutional Convention was also done by elected delegates. The 1986 Constitutional Commission was done through appointed commissioners.
Cebu's delegates in the 1971 Con-Con were Lydia D Rodriguez, Casimiro Madarang Jr., Pedro L. Yap, Marcelo B. Fernan, Natalio B. Bacalso, Jesus P. Garcia, Napolen G. Rama, Antonio Bacaltos, Oliveros Kintanar, Hilario G. Davide Jr, Fr. Jorge Kintanar, Pedro B. Calderon, Fr. Andres Flores, Francis B. Zosa, Antonio de Pio, and Gerardo Pepito. In 1986, only three were from Cebu, namely: Napoleon G. Rama, Hilario G. Davide Jr. and Regalado E. Maambong.
We heard that today's third district representative Gwen Garcia is for a Constitutional Convention, with delegates elected by the people. We concur with such a stand.
The government should find a source of funding such a very vital and historic convention. But if it is Con-Ass, the legislators should make sure they really represent the interests of the people, not their own.
What matters most is that Con-Con delegates or concurrent solons, they should truly represent the sentiments and aspirations of the people.