C4CC: Change the form
of government, not the economic provisions of the Constitution
By RICO CAJIFE
January
19, 2011
TACLOBAN CITY – It
is time to review and change the Constitution, but the change should
focus on ushering in a federal form of government, not its national
economy and patrimony provisions – this was made clear by the
Coalition for a Citizens' Constitution (C4CC) yesterday.
C4CC is a network of
non-government organizations and NGO networks with members in 19
provinces that was established in 2004 to oppose the various moves in
Congress to revise the constitution through a Constituent Assembly
(Con-Ass). Instead, the group has been batting for a more democratic
and participatory Constitutional Convention (Con-Con) and for changes
to further democratization such as a federal form of government to
give way to more decentralized governance.
"We welcome the
consensus now for a Con-Con among the various proponents of Charter
Change, but we think that focusing on the economic provisions would be
a mistake", Cezar Belangel, C4CC Coordinator said.
C4CC said that the
National Economy and Patrimony provision for 60-40% ownership in
strategic industries should be maintained and that the control and
benefit provisions in the Constitution should even be made stronger to
make asset reform in the local industries and other sectors, such as
agrarian and fisheries, more effective and sustainable.
C4CC has been calling
for asymmetric federalism that gives more autonomy to regions where
asset reforms and good governance have been substantially achieved.
C4CC also expressed
its full support for former Chief Justice Reynato Puno and the bishops
who have stated that now is the right time to start widespread and
in-depth consultations among the public. "The different basic sectors
and marginalized groups should be represented and their voices heard
through public consultations now and when a Con-Con is convened",
Belangel said. "We support Chief Justice Puno's proposals to
de-politicize the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), ensure the
independence of the judiciary and to have a more broadly
representative Congress", he added. For C4CC, this would mean
reforming the party-list system and having more party list
representatives in Congress and other changes.
