Speech on Necessity: The Amendment of the Constitution or Charter Change

Affirmative Speaker: Rexcel P. Abila

We believe the time has come for us to once and for all push for Charter Change. For there
has been a sea change, in the level of trust, confidence in our leadeship, including the incoming
congressional leaders who will be guiding the Cha-cha initiative, should it come to pass. More
importantly, the necessity of undertaking this task can no longer be ignored. We deserve to
celebrate our impressive economic growth, but we have come to the point where the sustainability
and inclusiveness of our development are the bars that matter. We need to attract more investments
and generate more jobs.
The reported objective of Charter Change is to shift from unitary to a parliamentary form
of government in various shapes that would govern federal states. We claim that there is a
necessity of devolving powers from the central government to Federal States. Deputy Speaker
Ferdinand Hernandez said amending the Constitution was "timely and necessary" as the current
Charter was no longer attuned to the times.
Thus, Chacha has become an immediate imperative. A number of measures of measures
have been filed in the House and Senate calling for constitutional changes, but we believe the
proposal of Speaker Sonny Belmonte to convene a constituent assembly with two chambers of
Congress voting separately and inserting the phrase "unless otherwise provided by law" to all the
restrictive economic provisions, then complementing this appropriate legislation-is a feasible
plan that deserves support. It will take a monumental effort requiring enormous political will, but
with great respect for the Constitution and guided by a shared vision toward the greater good, we
must now do what is best for our people.
Academians always claim that federalism is not a panacea to the country's perennial
problems of poverty and crisis but it is a possible means to resolve age-old disparities in the
country, especially that of the war and development in Mindanao. On the other hand, Pulse Asia
Inc., in its March 2016 survey reported that there is a considerable increase in the people's
willingness to consider charter change. The 29 percent favorable response in March 2015 rose to
36percent in October and 43percent in its latest survey. The survey was conducted prior to the
launching of charter change by President Duterte.
There is a need for charter change and the need arises from the need for a more responsive
and a more responsible government. The reason we have not settled this matter is simply that if
the table were declared open for consideration of Constitutional amendments or revisions, partisan
groups would take advantage of the situation to find a way for extension of terms of office of
elected officials, including the incumbent President. This is unfortunate because it blinds us to the
real need for change in our Constitution.