SAVING COSTS | Marcos wants cha-cha plebiscite alongside 2025 midterm elections

February 29, 2024 , 02:03 PM

By Beatrice Puente

(February 29, 2024) – President Bongbong Marcos Jr. on Wednesday explained that the suggestion of holding the plebiscite for charter change during the midterm elections next year was made to save up on expenses.

Marcos disclosed this in an interview with the media at Villamor Air Base in Pasay.

It was Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri who first told reporters about the chief executive’s preference as to when the plebiscite shall be conducted.

“Kung paghihiwalayin natin ‘yang election at saka ‘yung plebiscite, parang dalawang eleksyon ‘yun, napakamahal,” said Marcos, adding that they weighed their options. “If we are able to incorporate the two exercises together, as a practical matter, palagay ko makakatulong ‘yan.”

Lawmakers are currently deliberating on their identical proposals to amend three economic provisions—those dealing with public utilities, schools, and advertising—of the 1987 Constitution.

Members of the House of Representatives are keen on passing the Resolution of Both Houses No. 7 before the break next month. The Senate, on the other hand, eyes the approval of the Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 before the sine die adjournment on May 24.

“Before the sine die break ‘yung aming target date. Baka sabihin nila, nangako na naman ako. Target date natin ito. Kasi ang gusto ng ating pangulo, eventually, is to course it (during) the elections of 2025,” explained Zubiri.

Marcos said the upper chamber shall be the one to lead the discussion on charter change. He added that his administration only wants economic changes amid concerns that political changes like term extensions will also be introduced.

But some progressive groups have raised concerns about the involvement of Marcos in how Congress should proceed with the talks on charter change.

Bayan president Renato Reyes Jr. claimed that Marcos’ involvement showed that the “current charter change moves emanate from Malacañang.”

Reyes warned that the proposed economic changes will only worsen the country’s economic situation with the “tighter foreign control over the Philippines.”

“Foreign interests want to squeeze every last drop of profit from our underdeveloped economy. There is no intention to uplift the economic situation of the poor, only profit gains for the few foreign monopolies and their local comprador partners,” said Reyes.

He also doubted the repeated assurance that the amendments will only be limited to the economy.

“The self-serving motives for cha-cha remain. Term extension is not far behind. Also, a constitutional crisis looms if the lower house would insist on going it alone without the Senate or if the sham people’s initiative is pursued,” added Reyes.

Initially, there were efforts to pursue charter change through a people’s initiative, which aims to push for a joint congressional vote under Article XVII. But it earned criticisms due to the alleged bribery in the gathering of signatures, making it a subject of an ongoing Senate inquiry.

(PM)

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