The term “People’s Initiative” has hogged the headlines in the mainstream and social media. The word is in the 1987 Constitution. And it is supposed to be an alternative means of amending or revising the Constitution. It is unlike the usual set-up where the House of Representatives and the Senate work together in coming up with laws, but with the established guideline of a check-and-balance character as a matter of principle.
Speaker Romualdez has publicly denied pushing for People’s Initiative. But the fact is his announcement to the House of Representatives that one of its key programs is Charter Change got the LGU officials’ interest precisely on the People’s Initiative in their respective districts.
Objections to any People’s Initiative were raised in quick successions by various individuals and groups in countless chat platforms and by civil society, and lately by the Senators with their Public Statement.
Reasons for the objections ranged from the questionable timing of amending or revising the Constitution to the ill-motives of the legislators known to be dynastic leaders with their vested interests of keeping their positions of economic and political power for generations.
Significant comments were noted and expressed in various ways: it’s “in the guise of proposing amendments to the economic provisions,” “ang daming problema sa ekonomiya sa ngayon at sa mga kailangan ng mga ibat-ibang sektor sa lipunan at ito ang inaatupag ng mga opisyal natin sa gobyerno!”, “the Constitution’s highlighted provisions on Social Justice and Human Rights is a bedrock of our Democracy, and definitely it deserves not to be reviewed at this time!”, “our priority as a nation is the strong push for Truth and Justice, so that good governance in all our political institutions will minimize. If not stamp out our problems of corruption and poverty!”
In other words, the people’s interests to achieve decent lives in these times of hardships under this current administration must be given utmost and urgent attention by our government officials, and they should offhand abandon their deceptive plan to amend and revise the 1987 Constitution.
#PoliticsIsLife #BoniMacaranas #People'sInitiative #Dynasties #Constitution #ChaCha #CharterChange #MartinRomualdez #OpinYonColumn #OpinYon #WeTakeAStand