In the news these days is the renewed call for Charter change, popularly known as Cha-cha, via a PI (not the expletive) but a People’s Initiative. Cha Cha, the dance, is a forward, backward, and sideward movement, which is a Cuban dance that bastardized and popularized the jumbled steps of the classic ballroom Mambo-Rhumba-Tango. The acronym cha-cha is an apt description of this political swaying as it goes multidirectional, aimless, and all motion but no determinate movement.
A PI is one of three allowed methods for amending the Philippine Constitution, the other two being a Con-Con (constitutional convention) and Con-Ass (constitutional assembly). Of the three, the PI is considered the most difficult but not impossible. And when money in bribes is involved, it becomes fatally defective.
Businessmen, employers, industrialists and economists agree that our Constitution is outdated and anachronistic due to the fast-changing global economic environment since 1989 when the third era of globalization started. Undeniably, there is an urgent need to fast-track the process of amendment not only to catch up with our Asian neighbors but to principally address the widening economic inequality in our society. The prohibitive protectionist clauses in our Constitution are widely believed to have stunted our economic growth since its promulgation.
Today, the Philippines woefully ranks number 6 among the 10 ASEAN member countries, when we used to be the second richest country and the fastest growing economy in the region next to Japan in the early 1960s. The downhill slide of our economy was made faster by corruption, unstable policies, punitive labor laws, pricey and unstable power supply, and many missteps in governance.
The restrictive nationalistic clauses in our Constitution are cited as our primary handicap. It is like a closed door that needs to be opened as a first sign that we welcome foreign investors.
But employers are all in unison cautioning our lawmakers that such needed amendments should not be carried out hastily, carelessly, and selfishly. If RA 6735 is proven inadequate to provide safeguards through the PI route, then lawmakers must first enact a law to remedy the shortcomings of this enabling act.
As in past similar initiatives, eminent personalities will oppose Charter change for various reasons, the most common of which is the timing of such political exercise on the eve of a national election. It is impermissible in a PI to include changes on term extension, changes in the form of government, or other major amendments that will alter the entire spirit of the Constitution, which might result in dire consequences for the country. Of course, there will always be lingering doubts — rightly or wrongly — about this enterprise’s integrity and mechanics.
Reportedly, ugly accusations of massive amounts of money estimated at P20 million per district or P5 billion for the 253 electoral districts are being distributed by suspected PI advocates for personal political gain. As expected, vehement denials were issued by those alluded to.
Yes, we have been desperately waiting for 30 years for economic deliverance through Cha-cha. With guarded confidence, we hope the lawmakers and political leaders concerned will not violate their oath of office by employing illegal or immoral acts to finally achieve our desired common objective.
Unfortunately, the country does not have the luxury of time. We enjoin the policymakers and national leaders to heed Nike’s tagline, “Just do it.” But do it right!
