MERGED: Charter Change

[TheCoffee]

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Saturday, December 13, 2008
Do they even know what they're talking about?

A few thoughts on the move to change the Philippine constitution, and yesterday's much-ballyhooed protest against it.


1. No one wants term extensions

First of all, they're saying that they oppose moves to amend the constitution because they are against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo extending her term in office. "I don't want Cha-Cha because it would prolong her stay in power," said Necitas Feliciano, a 59-year-old garment worker. "We want elections in 2010 so that we can get her out."

This may come as a shock to the people in the streets yesterday, but no one is promoting the term extension that they're protesting. Not the President, not the Vice-President, not the Senate, not the House of Representatives.

President Arroyo has repeatedly and consistently said she will block any moves from her allies to extend her term. No one in congress is even seriously considering the proposal. I hesitate to even call it a proposal because no one is proposing it.

Of course, you can always baselessly accuse people of having a hidden agenda, but then how can anyone get anything done at all? This is all scare tactics. They said the same thing about Erap. They said the same thing about Ramos. They said the same thing about Cory.


2. Those acronyms are horrible

Years of dumbing things down with acronyms like "cha-cha", "con-con", "con-ass", "no-el" trivializes democracy. It's like they deliberately contracted in that manner to make it deprecating. They put labels on things then talk about them so much that people forget what they mean. Now people permanently associate "cha-cha" with extending term limits, which is just silly.


3. Not every constitution is sacred

They pretend like the constitution is something that descended from the heavens and served our republic for a century, rather than whipped up in a few months by a constitutional convention in 1986. The reality is that the constitution does have problems that hold us back.

Here's a fun fact: Every Philippine president in the past 40 years has tried to overhaul the constitution.


4. Shutting down Makati wasn't necessary

The rally that shut down the arteries of the Makati central business district yesterday attracted just 6,500 people. Just how many people does it take to close down Makati Avenue and Paseo de Roxas anyway? This rally could have been held indoors.

Here's a prudent quote from Lyndon B. Johnson: We must preserve the right to free assembly, but free assembly does not carry with it the right to block public thoroughfares to traffic. We do have a right to protest, and a right to march under conditions that do not infringe the constitutional rights of our neighbors.


It's not so much that I'm a big fan of the Arroyo administration. To be honest I don't even think overhauling the constitution is a good idea. But when the weapon-of-choice is stupidity I feel obliged to come to the defense.

[tilaboto]

If we don't initiate change there will be no change in the condition of this country.

[colossus]

The proposals to amend the present charter have a basis. For one, I think the opposition and administration officials have already come to an agreement that there are provisions in the present Constitution that need to be amended. The only issue lies on what mode it will be appropriate to amend the charter.

For now, both chambers of Congress must deal with this for amendments to the charter to be possible. To say that Palace had a hand on this is simply inappropriate because the administration has shown for so many times that it is not a priority on its agenda now. What it prioritizes are projects that will help the public in general. If there would be amendments, so be it. But I don't think the president would want to push it too far than what it should be.

[mannyamador]

If we don't initiate change there will be no change in the condition of this country.

The first meaningful change should be to get rid of GMA. Then -- and only then -- should you consider changing the Constitution.

[tools4kools]

The first meaningful change should be to get rid of GMA. Then -- and only then -- should you consider changing the Constitution.

are you sure about that change will happen after the elections? can you rely on our present politicians? that's nice of you to trust them! bai this is just a repeat of what happen during ramos times with same old excuses and alibis and when the change was put on hold, did the next president (ERAP) EVER talked about it? even though how much you say it was different before from today, still I don't think our politicians, who have other agendas other than CHA-CHA would welcome it during his/her term and would only talk about it when their terms finally come to end. don't be deceived by mere talking that they are for change but they'd argue that its not yet time. But just so is when? we can't tell! its just a never ending cycle.

[mannyamador]

In which case changing the Constitution will achieve nothing either.

[tools4kools]

right! I am for changing it but I don't trust them! so this country will just be living on hell with them!

[baby_grace]

The problem is almost all politicians cannot be trusted. Whether they are from the administration or the opposition all of them are the same. But the anti-cha-cha are more selfish for me. They oppose any amendments to the charter only on the basis of something more imaginary than real. Isn't it ridiculous to base your stand merely on a paranoia?

The anti-cha-cha believe that it is only for term extension. They failed to realize that when amendments are introduced, they can put their own safeguards like the new charter will not take place until after the end of this administration or something to that effect. Also, they failed to realize that amendments cannot be made in one day, or one week. It's a tedious task to amend the Constitution. Who knows, it won't even be finished by 2010. They can at least start at the soonest possible time.

[mannyamador]

Safeguards? The body that will make the changes is a GMA rubber-stamp. Some safeguards!

Charter and polluted political culture
December 18, 2008 01:38:00
Philippine Daily Inquirer
http://www.inquirer.net/specialfeatu...0081218-178571

We unite with all Filipinos who are concerned with the vile and manipulative plans of our leaders in government who, instead of protecting and serving the people, collude to keep their hold on political power and material wealth to the detriment of the vast poor majority of Filipinos. And this they are doing in the guise of wanting to change the present Constitution for the better.

We are aghast and we publicly denounce such self-serving plans for constitutional change, which reveal the obstinacy and arrogance of the ruling political elite.

We will remain vigilant and committed in defending our democracy for the sake of the youth who we hope could finally live under a nation free from the shackles of traditional politics spawned by political dynasties. All the attempts to change our Constitution before 2010 boil down to a polluted political culture that we have to unite against and destroy.

We are one with the farmers and other groups who will be in Batasan area, marching to assert social justice.

We pray that we be steadfast and courageous in the political challenges we now face and we hope that our present leaders, contrary to public perceptions, will see 2010 as an opportunity to exercise patriotism by allowing a new beginning and the fruition of the common good.

A petition is being passed around and this signature drive will be a nationwide activity. As a service to the concerned Filipinos, the Ang Kapatiran Party is coordinating this activity.

-- ERIC MANALANG, convener, United Filipinos Against Cha-Cha, no2cha2@gmail.com

[mannyamador]

The Charter and the morally bankrupt
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:37:00 12/18/2008
http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquirer...rally-bankrupt

The Order Of Friars Minor - Justice, Peace And Integrity of Creation (OFM-JPIC) Office of the Franciscan Province of San Pedro Bautista, as a result of prayer and discernment, and in solidarity with the people, strongly rejects any attempt to revise or amend the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines at this time.

We believe that the present administration has failed to show that it has the people’s interest over and above its self-interest. It has failed to resolve scandals like the fertilizer fund scan, the “Hello, Garci” tape and the NBN-ZTE bribery, among others. It has promoted anti-people policies such as the Mining Revitalization Program of the Philippines and the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA). It has failed to genuinely implement the agrarian reform program.

We refuse to entrust the revision of the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines to a morally bankrupt administration and its allies. In the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi, protector of the poor, we add our voices to those of all Filipinos of goodwill who reject Charter change.

No to Charter change! Reject the morally bankrupt Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration!

BRO. RJ ABADA, OFM (via email)