Published January 20, 2021, 6:12 PM
Only 23 percent or 2 out of 10 Filipinos agree that it is urgent to discuss Charter change at this time.
This was the result of the survey on Charter change conducted by Catholic church-run Radio Veritas from January 4 to 18, 2021.
The Veritas Truth Survey released Wednesday showed that a majority of Filipinos or 75% disagree on the urgency of the issue of Charter Change.
The remaining 2 percent are still “undecided” on the said issue.
Veritas said the strong public opposition, as indicated by the results, may reflect that there are more pressing concerns that the respondents feel that the government’s time, treasure, and talent should be dedicated to.
The people's right to public information should prevail over the non-disclosure agreements entered into by the government with the pharmaceutical companies, considering that the funds being used for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines are people's money, Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
In a statement dated January 18, the group said “now is not the time for charter change as millions are suffering from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.”
“We cry out in a loud and categorical manner that we oppose these moves,” Laiko said.
“This is not the opportune time to deal with Cha-Cha. We are in the midst of a pandemic with millions of our countrymen suffering from lack of food, shelter, job, education and a decent and comprehensive health care system,” the group said.
“We call on our lawmakers: address the needs of the people now. They need your attention,” it added.
Published January 18, 2021, 3:38 PM
Some senators suspect that members of the House of Representatives have been insisting on prematurely convening a Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass) on their own to push for a joint voting and disregard the Senate in the efforts to amend the Constitution.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said Monday that he believes that the House members intend to bring the matter to the Supreme Court (SC) to still pursue a joint voting on the proposed Charter change (Cha-cha).
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Sen. Panfilo Lacson (MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
“Ganito ang nakikita ko, ipipilit nila na ang botong three-fourths (This what I am seeing, they will insist the three-fourths vote of the entire Congress). (That) to pass an amendment, (it) would require the total votes of both House and the Senate,” Drilon said in an online interview with reporters.
Rep. Edcel Lagman
(FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
“It is a blatant heresy for the House or any of its committees to act as a Constituent Assembly alone without the indispensable participation of the senators,” he said in a statement.
Lagman was among the House members who strongly opposed the last week’s declaration of House Committee on Constitutional Amendments panel Chair AKO Bicol partylist Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. that they are already sitting as a Con-Ass to introduce amendments to the 1987 Constitution during his panel’s first deliberation on Resolution of Both Houses No. 2, principally authored by House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco.