Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 13) — The Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives called out the misplaced priority of the ruling coalition amid another charter change proposal seeking to extend the terms of elected officials, saying they should focus more on addressing social and economic challenges facing Filipinos.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Makabayan bloc said the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments is set to hear bills on Wednesday calling for Charter change, including Resolution of Both Houses No. 1, authored by Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr.
The proposed amendments include the following:
— The country’s president and vice president would have a five-year term from six years with the ban on reelection removed. They can keep the position for up to 10 years. They must belong to the same political party. The incumbent and previous presidents are barred from running for reelection.
— Members of the House of Representatives would have five-year terms instead of three, with a maximum of two terms, meaning 10 years straight in office.
— Elected local officials, except barangay officials, would also get five-year terms instead of three with a maximum of two consecutive terms instead of three.
While President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. clinched the position only in June, the Makabayan bloc stressed “the ruling coalition is already mobilizing to perpetuate themselves in power beyond what the Constitution allows and remove the remaining constitutional safeguards intended to protect the economy and patrimony for Filipinos.”
“Once again, we call on the people to resoundingly reject this push for Charter change,” it said.
“This is not what the Filipino people need now,” it also said, “Measures on how to lower oil prices and that of basic goods and services as well as increase aid/ayuda for the poor are what’s needed, not Cha-cha to extend the terms of politicians and sell out the economy.”
