House consultations show majority want cha-cha after 2010
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 11/12/2008 12:42 AM
Printer-friendly version | 
Send to friend | 
Share your views
Members of the House of Representatives' Committee on Constitutional Amendments on Tuesday verbally reported to the committee the results of their district consultation on charter change or cha-cha, made during Congress' session break.
The questions centered on whether their constituents agree to change the constitution, what mode should be used, and what provisions should be changed.
Zamboanga City Rep. Ma. Isabelle Climaco said her district held two consultative meetings on cha-cha with the help of Western Mindanao State University and Ateneo de Zamoanga University.
Climaco said while there is a general concern about the timing of changing the constitution, majority of those consulted were in favor of changing the charter, particularly the economic provisions.
Majority are for constitutional convention, federal and parliamentary form of government and are for changing the charter after the 2010 elections.
Camarines Sur Rep. Felix Alfelor said he conducted his district consultation October 27 and majority are for charter change, he said.
Northern Samar Rep. Emil Ong, meanwhile, said members of the Intergated Bar of the Philippines are for constitutional convention as a mode to change the charter, saying the best constitution should be framed with no outside influence.
Agusan del Norte Rep. Edelmiro Amante said 90% of his constituents want it changed and are for a parliamentary system of government.
But Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said he is not in favor of changing the charter before the 2010 elections because it will be under suspicion that the incumbent president wants to use cha-cha to perpetuate herself in power.
Rodriguez said he believes that the district consultations have failed because not all representatives were able to conduct their respective consultations during the break. He suggested instead that the consultations be held by region.
The committee will resume its hearing on Nov 25 for a public consultation meeting with stakeholders invited. - by Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News
