People’s Initiative ‘damaged’ Filipinos’ perspective on Cha-cha – Gatchalian

Sample of signature campaign for people’s initiative — CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Sherwin Gatchalian blamed the people’s initiative for the public’s disapproval of Charter change (Cha-cha).

Gatchalian’s remarks came after a Pulse Asia survey revealed that most adult Filipinos the firm interviewed still do not believe that now is the right time to amend the 1987 Constitution.

“Ang unang pag iisip ko dyan [ay] ‘yung people’s initiative, talagang naka-damage sa pag iisip ng tao. Dahil sa People’s initiative, [ang] tingin na ng taong bayan ay hindi maganda ang Cha-cha. Whether economic, political — basta Cha-cha, hindi maganda,” said Gatchalian.

Another factor for the disapproval, said Gatchalian, is that the public saw how members of Congress “fought” over Cha-cha.

Earlier this year, Senate and House of Representatives lawmakers argued over the controversial signature campaign.

Senators lambasted their counterparts in the House of Representatives, whom they believed were stirring the people’s initiative — one of the three ways to amend the Constitution.

“Nakita ng taong bayan ang bangayan eh. At [ang] taong bayan, ayaw nila ng mga lingkod bayan na nagbabangayan. Pangalawa, narinig din nila ‘yung mga issue ng corruption – ‘yung pagbibili ng pirma, ‘yung pag aabot ng P1,000 o P200. So nagkaroon ng masamang imahe ang Cha-cha dahil sa People’s Initiative,” said Gatchalian.

(The public saw how we fought, and they don’t want to see public officials quarreling. Secondly, they’ve seen the issue of corruption, where some were buying signatures for this people’s initiative. Some got paid P1,000, some P200. People’s initiative gave Cha-cha a bad image.)

Through Resolution of Both Houses No. 6, the Senate is leading talks on economic Cha-cha, following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s request for the chamber to review the proposals to amend specific provisions of the Constitution.

Marcos said he saw the need to ease restrictive economic provisions of the Constitution to allow more foreign direct investment in the country.

A similar measure — Resolution of Both Houses No. 7 — was also tackled and passed in the House of Representatives in March.