Initiative of the people or govt?

WAS it government, or people's initiative?

This poser surfaced amidst the perception that the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) here played favorites and was spearheading the drive to steamroll the charter change (Chacha).

The petition that rode on the synchronized barangay assemblies last March 25, 2006 was a “one and two equals three” for the people to connect the DILG with the move. However, authorities pointed to the apparent lack of information over the agenda that was supposedly laying out to all Filipinos the merits of chacha at the assembly, as the hitch. In several cases, barangay officials were either not briefed on the amendment proposals or were too preoccupied about showing off their political patrons that they can deliver, said observers who roamed assembly venues that day. Rumors about bribe money also floated while a P1T chacha mobilization campaign fund for the whole barangay was reported as honoraria for officials.

A question over the preference on the amendment of articles VI and VII of the 1987 constitution and providing another article as transitory provision for the shifts, run during that barangay forum. Beyond that, Sigaw ng Bayan: Pagbabago sa Saligang Batas, Ngayon Na has impressed that the petition that rode on the assembly was actually a people, not government initiative. Sigaw ng Bayan, a multi-sectoral coalition of non-government organizations, people's organizations and local officials was accordingly formed to disperse the amendment recommendations of the defunct Consultative Commission, independent sources said. Like the Union for Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), Sigaw has also been supporting moves for the chacha from presidential bicameral to parliamentary unicameral.

Constitutional amendments are either done via constitutional assembly or constitutional convention. While Conas is adverse to senators, would who lose their seats, Malacañang is also shaking its head on costly constitutional convention. The gridlock pushed people's organizations to explore on the people's initiative.

Instead of feeling helpless as politicians hostage governance, the constitution also puts a vague reference to another resort, the people's initiative. In here, a petition that bears some 12% of the total number of registered voters of which every district must be represented with at least 3% or its registered voters. Although facing legal impediments, people's initiative proponents hope to press the Supreme Court to come up with a favorable decision to force a chacha and keep the country's economy on the floor.