|
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Editorial: Cha-cha through con-con
Suddenly, the notion of changing the 1987 Constitution moved to the forefront of the nation’s consciousness when President Arroyo, out of the blue, announced she wants charter change at the soonest possible time.
Coming from the President, the statement got immediate concurrence and support from various sectors that have long been waiting for just such word from the top.
Arroyo’s words rekindled old cha-cha sentiments.
It is a popular belief among many thinking Filipinos that changing certain provisions of the fundamental law, which was hammered out and forged in 1986 by a 50-member presidential commission, is the answer to our multifarious national problems today.
The hope is that it would generate the much-needed solutions to the problems that currently afflict this republic.
Or so the cha-cha proponents seriously believe.
The present system of government, they say, is not enough to endow this republic with the needed enthusiasm, creative vision and drive to make it great using its rich human and natural resources.
The system has to be changed and updated in keeping with the fast-changing global condition where science and technology has “redesigned” the social, economic and political landscapes.
With this, Filipinos are confronted with a number of options.
The first critical and sensitive issue to resolve is the mechanism that may be used to effect the changes.
Should it be a constitutional convention, a constituent assembly, or simply through a people’s initiative?
The expressed presidential sentiment is the con-con, and it has the critical support of a broad spectrum of people.
There is an innate suspicion among the citizenry that undertaking cha-cha through a constituent assembly would make a new constitution reflect only the vested interests of the individual members of Congress.
And yet, we know that the real goal of cha-cha is to make the constitution more responsive to public interest.
The third option, people’s initiative, has not sparked interest in the
belief that it is too unwieldy to undertake.
Still, the President favoring the con-con could generate a full-blown political conflict.
It is an interesting bone of contention, knowing how a good number of senators and congressmen favor a constituent assembly.
Conflict of interest could delay cha-cha for yet another decade.
(June 9, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
