Charter change road show begins

**explorer** · February 13th, 2008 10:13 AM

from: www.inquirer.net

para mabawasan yung attention sa NBN deal...at seguro matuloy ang ligaya nila forever (beyond 2010)....ala marcos

[SIZE="3"]Charter change road show begins[/SIZE]

February 13, 2008
Updated 01:40:46 (Mla time)
Tony Bergonia
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines -- Faced with renewed demands for her to resign, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s staunchest allies among governors and local government executives have revived a campaign to amend the Constitution, ostensibly to set up a federal form of government.

The revival of the Charter change (Cha-cha) proposal coincided with a new scandal over alleged kickbacks in the aborted, $329-million National Broadband Network (NBN) project involving people close to Malacañang.

The campaign to test the waters for federalism pushed through Tuesday amid reservations from some of Ms Arroyo’s allies over the timing of the move to amend the Constitution.

Palace officials, whose involvement will be deep in the campaign, said the next stops of the campaign would be Cebu City on Wednesday; Butuan City, Feb. 18; and Cagayan de Oro City, Feb. 22.

Administration critics said the proposal could lead to an overhaul of the Constitution to remove term limits and keep Ms Arroyo in power beyond the end of her term in 2010 whether as president or prime minister under a parliamentary setup.

“This could be suicidal,” said one Arroyo confidante who did not want to be identified because he feared castigation by the President.

The source said that if the new campaign would send any message to the people, it was “simply perpetuation in power,” a message that could turn the crisis that the Arroyo administration now faces from bad to worse.

Cheering squad

The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) took charge of the campaign, but in Legazpi City, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, Ms Arroyo’s former chief of staff and key adviser, led the cheering squad for federalism in which provinces would be transformed into autonomous states with their own laws on taxes and other powers but still accountable to a central government.

The new push for Charter change comes amid the testimony of Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. on allegedly anomalous deals, involving high government officials and individuals close to the President, that shaped the NBN contract bagged by Chinese firm ZTE Corp.

But some of Ms Arroyo’s closest advisers have strong reservations about the wisdom of the new push for Charter change, saying it could further agitate the people into joining a call for Ms Arroyo to step down.

In Legazpi City and Davao City, the PIA hosted forums on the shift to federalism attended by local government officials, businessmen, members of the academe and newsmen purportedly to obtain views on the new campaign.

Too much resources, power

Salceda, who is leading the campaign in the Bicol region, said at the forum that federalism was an idea whose time had come because “being an archipelago, the Philippines is already overly fragmented.”

The current setup concentrates too much resources on the national government and allows non-elected Cabinet members to wield too much power, according to the Albay governor.

But Daraga Mayor Cicero Triunfante, a former political science professor at the Divine Word College in Legazpi, advised caution.

“All forms of government look good on paper. The problem is with the people who run them and its implementation,” Triunfante said.

“No constitutional system can legislate individuals to change,” he said.

Bigger share of income

The business sector in Legazpi, however, said federalism would have its benefits.

Lito Tuanqui Jr., of the Albay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said autonomous local governments could mean less red tape and a bigger share of the national income for local governments.

Eduardo de Leon, PIA Bicol director, said the PIA would host forums on federalism nationwide.

In Davao City, advocates of federalism said they would lobby Congress for the shift to federalism. They added they felt confident of the new campaign because the Speaker, Prospero Nograles, is from Mindanao.

Efren Elbanbuena, PIA director for Southern Mindanao, said the Lihuk Pideral, a Davao-based movement headed by Rey Magno Teves, held a media forum at the NCCC Mall in Davao City in the morning.

“They wanted to revive the campaign for federalism,” Elbanbuena said.

Single amendment for Muslims

Officials, led by peace talks adviser Jesus Dureza Jr., have dangled federalism to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to untangle a deadlock in negotiations over territory.

But MILF leaders flatly rejected the offer, saying it was just a government ploy to trick the guerrillas into dropping a demand for at least 1,000 villages to be part of the proposed Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE) that the MILF would govern should the talks lead to an agreement.

Dureza and other officials made public their offer to the guerrillas and said that should it push through, there would be just a single amendment to the Constitution -- to create a federal state for Muslims in Mindanao.

Dureza issued several statements seeking to assure critics that there was no hidden agenda in the federalism proposal that was being dangled to the MILF.

But the strategy to clothe Charter change with MILF acceptance failed, forcing its proponents to simply bring the curtains down on their presentation of federalism as a way to untangle the peace talks.

Weeks after, however, the curtains were raised again to open another presentation -- that of federalism as an urgent clamor of local government units, particularly governors who are doggedly loyal to Ms Arroyo.

If plans don’t miscarry, proponents of the new push for federalism are expecting a groundswell of support from local government executives.

Task easier with new Speaker

The task would be easier, according to the proponents, with the new set of leaders in the House of Representatives under Nograles.

Attempts to amend the Constitution under then Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. did not prosper largely because of massive opposition and lingering doubts over the real motives.

Some Palace officials, who asked that they not be identified for lack of clearance to speak on the matter, said divisions among proponents of Charter change at the time of De Venecia also led to the movement’s failure.

Clash over PM’s age limit

One Palace official pointed to a clash between De Venecia and former President Fidel Ramos, also a supporter of Charter change, over the age limit for prime minister under a parliamentary setup, then the main objective of Charter change.

The source said Ramos had wanted to lower the age limit for prime minister to 65, which didn’t sit well with De Venecia, who is past 65, because it would effectively frustrate his ambition to become prime minister.

Proponents of the new Charter change move said they saw no feud among them this time because the visible objective would be just to shift to federalism.

Supreme Court ruling

By a vote of 8-7, the Supreme Court ruled on Oct. 25, 2006 against the “people’s initiative” led by Sigaw ng Bayan and the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines to amend the Constitution to shift to a parliamentary form of government.

The tribunal said the initiative was null and void because it failed to comply with the constitutional requirement that the initiative must be directly proposed by the people and because proponents of the amendment also sought an overhaul of the Constitution.

More than a push

Critics of the new move among Ms Arroyo’s circle of close allies, however, expressed fear that while the push for federalism could attract attention away from the sordid revelations of whistle-blower Lozada, it could also become a bigger source of threat to the Arroyo administration.

“We shouldn’t be driving more nails into the coffin,” said the source, refusing to elaborate.

The launch of the campaign in the turf of Ms Arroyo’s former chief of staff and key adviser, however, sends a strong signal that the push for federalism is more than just a push.

“The plan is to show that there’s a nationwide clamor for it,” said an official deeply involved in the campaign, but who could not be identified for fear of being removed from his position.

**shadow** · February 13th, 2008 11:10 AM

:boo::boo::boo::boo::boo:

**explorer** · February 13th, 2008 11:13 AM

from: www.iquirer.net

[SIZE="3"]Palace: Charter change road show an ‘LGU matter’[/SIZE]

February 13, 2008
Updated 10:30:08 (Mla time)
Joel Guinto
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines -- Malacañang has distanced itself from the reported push by local government officials for a shift to the federal form of government, saying it is an "LGU [local government unit] matter."

"I would like to clarify that the Cha-Cha [Charter change] roadshow is an LGU matter. We don't have anything to do with that as a matter of fact," Deputy Presidential Spokesman Anthony Golez said in a phone interview, reacting to a report on the Philippine Daily Inquirer, parent company of the INQUIRER.net.

Asked if the Palace was supporting the move, Golez said: "It is not an option to support or not if we do not have anything to do with it."

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo also dismissed speculations that the Charter change move was meant to extend the term of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and other incumbent officials.

"As with regard to term extensions we think the issue is premature and baseless. Any aspersion on the intentions of the local government units with regard to Charter change and federalism is an insult to the local leaders and the people in general," Fajardo said in a text message.

She added that the roadshow was planned "a long time ago," even before Senate witness Rodolfo Lozada Jr. had exposed the alleged overpricing of the $329-million contract of China's ZTE Corp. for the national broadband network (NBN) project, which was eventually scrapped.

"We are made to understand that the roadshow is intended to educate and inform our people on the concept of federalism," she said.

**chilli** · February 13th, 2008 11:48 AM

it is possible she will revive this again for her to extend her term and stay in power.

i think no matter what form of government we have, the problem isnt the form of government we have but the people in the government. they are the ones who needs to change and not the form of our current government.

**badsekktor** · February 13th, 2008 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by chilli

it is possible she will revive this again for her to extend her term and stay in power.

i think no matter what form of government we have, the problem isnt the form of government we have but the people in the government. they are the ones who needs to change and not the form of our current government.

very true! well afaik chacha is always in the minds of our congressmen. (thanks to sources in the congress) medyo maingat lang sila ngayon. agenda is to abolish senate, prolong terms of president and congressmen.

**explorer** · February 13th, 2008 05:14 PM

from: www.inquirer.net

[SIZE="3"]Palace puts brakes on LGUs’ Charter change effort [/SIZE]
February 13, 2008
Updated 15:42:25 (Mla time)
Joel Guinto
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines -- Malacañang has asked local government officials to go slow on renewed efforts to rewrite the Constitution to pave the way for a shift to a federal form of government from the presidential system.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita acknowledged that pushing for Charter change at a time when the administration was fighting off the corruption scandal spawned by the scrapped national broadband network (NBN) agreement, could be misinterpreted as a ploy to keep President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in power amid renewed calls for her resignation.

"Dapat mag-slowdown muna tayo para hindi tayo mapaghinalaan [We should slow down so that we will not be misinterpreted]," Ermita told a news conference at the Palace on Wednesday.

Ermita said Arroyo was deliberately avoiding speaking on Charter change at this time to avoid criticism that she might be trying to divert the public's attention from the alleged overpricing of the $329-million contract awarded to China’s ZTE Corp.

"The President doesn't want to talk about it [because] it will be easy for people to say that she is using Cha-cha [Charter change] to extend her stay in government," he said.

Nonetheless, Ermita acknowledged that the most Malacañang could do was to try to convince local government officials from campaigning for constitutional amendments.

"Hindi natin maiaalis sa local executives [We can't take that away from local executives]," Ermita said.

In a phone interview earlier on Wednesday, Deputy Presidential Spokesman Anthony Golez said the Palace had nothing to do with the renewed push for constitutional amendments.

"I would like to clarify that the Cha-cha roadshow is an LGU [local government units] matter. We don't have anything to do with that as a matter of fact," Golez, reacting to a report in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, parent company of the INQUIRER.net.

Asked if the Palace was supporting the move, Golez said: "It is not an option to support or not if we do not have anything to do with it."

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo also dismissed speculations that the renewed campaign for Charter change was meant to extend the term of Arroyo and other incumbent officials.

"As with regard to term extensions we think the issue is premature and baseless. Any aspersion on the intentions of the local government units with regard to Charter change and federalism is an insult to the local leaders and the people in general," Fajardo said in a text message.

She added that the roadshow was planned "a long time ago," even before Senate witness Rodolfo Lozada Jr. exposed the alleged overpricing of the NBN project, which was eventually scrapped after the Senate launched its investigation.

"We are made to understand that the roadshow is intended to educate and inform our people on the concept of federalism," she said.

**safeorigin** · February 13th, 2008 08:00 PM

hmmm... federal republic of the philippines... will that affiliate us with the other federal nations?

**b1rken5tock** · February 14th, 2008 05:18 AM

Originally Posted by safeorigin

hmmm... federal republic of the philippines... will that affiliate us with the other federal nations?

pag nagkataon, yung NBI magiging FBI..

**pup2** · February 14th, 2008 06:26 AM

Originally Posted by badsekktor

very true! well afaik chacha is always in the minds of our congressmen. (thanks to sources in the congress) medyo maingat lang sila ngayon. agenda is to abolish senate, prolong terms of president and congressmen.

... and start a revolution. Sana lang ala French at hindi EDSA.

**safeorigin** · February 14th, 2008 01:42 PM

well, come to think of it. the senate's gonna be parliament though so i think they have both administrative and legislative powers. i'm not sure though.