Meanwhile, the Sigaw ng Bayan Movement, a coalition of over 100 non-government organizations, announced that it had already gathered two-million signatures in support of a People’s Initiative for Charter change.

The People’s Initiative is one of three ways to amend the Constititution, the other two being a Constitutent Assembly, composed of members the Senate and the House, and a Constitutional Convention, with members elected nationwide.

House Deputy Speaker for Mindanao Gerry Salapuddin and Rep. Mauricio Domogan (Lakas, Baguio City), vice chairmen of the House Committee on Constitutional amendments, said that the President, by freely sacrificing her popularity for Cha-cha, has shown her seriousness and determination to fulfill her campaign promise to push needed constitutional amendments during her incumbency.

Salapuddin recalled that in 2004, the President "sacrificed her popularity for the economic reforms needed to address our fiscal deficit problem. That sacrifice paid off as we were able to sustain our budget deficit at a manageable level through improved tax collection and more savings through prudent spending."

Salapuddin said the President’s action will have a positive impact on ongoing initiatives to push Charter change. "This will embolden and encourage more of our lawmakers, their constituents, and local executives to pursue Cha-cha whatever the odds," he said.

The Sigaw ng Bayan Movement reported that as of Saturday night, some two million signatures had already been gathered.

It reported that local officials across the country noted big turnouts in the barangay assemblies held last Saturday, where urgent concerns, including constitutional reforms, were discussed.

The Sigaw ng Bayan said that preliminary reports reaching its national secretariat in Quezon City showed that, based on the response of participants in the barangay assemblies, governors across the country expect to gather a minimum of 20% to a high of 60% percent of the total number of registered voters to sign the petition calling for a People’s Initiative towards Charter change.

"Reports reaching our national secretariat in Quezon City show that we are headed towards victory in terms of garnering the support we need to push a People’s Initiative leading to constitutional reforms," lawyer Raul Lambino, spokesman of the coalition, said.

"As of last night, more than 150 congressional districts had already reached more than the 3% required by law for a People’s Initiative."

A minimum of 3% of the registered voters in each legislative district and 12% of the total voting population are required under the Constitution to propose amendments through a People’s Initiative.

In North Cotabato, Lambino said, Gov. Manny Pinol said he expects 40% of the total of 500,000 registered voters in the province to back a People’s Initiative.

"Why do they call the demonstrations involving a few thousands ‘people power’ and look with disdain on a democratic exercise involving millions? If they do it in Manila, it’s OK, but does it make it wrong when the initiative comes from the people in the countryside?" Pinol said in a report to Sigaw ng Bayan.

From Leyte, Gov. Jericho Petilla reported to the coalition that in 41 towns where the barangay assemblies were held, support for the People’s Initiative was as low as 16% in some areas to as high as 60% in other barangays.

Governors Sally Zaldivar Perez of Antique, Luis Raymund Villafuerte of Camarines Sur, Vicente Magsaysay of Zambales, and Raul Lee of Sorsogon reported that their "modest target" of 20% to sign up for the People’s Initiative has been attained.

Reacting to charges that people were paid R200 each to sign the petition, Lee said: "Hindi sapilitan ito. Walang pulitika dito, kung ayaw nila, eh di huwag. Sino ba ang makikinabang sa Charter change, di ba ang buong bansa? (Nobody was forced to sign up. There’s no politics involved here. If they don’t want to sign the petition, they are free to do so. Who will benefit from Charter change anyway? Isn’t it the entire nation?)"

From Bataan, Gov. Enrique Garcia reported to Sigaw ng Bayan that he is confident the People’s Initiative will get the support of 50% of the people in his province.

Gov. Victor Ortega of La Union reported that as of 6 p.m. Saturday, some 30% to 35% of the voters in the province have expressed support for a People’s Initiative. "We are confident that the target of 51% is easy to attain," he said.

Gov. Arnan Panaligan of Oriental Mindoro said 25% of the voters in his province had signed the petition as of yesterday. "Politicians with self-serving agenda should let the people exercise their constitutional guaranteed right and stop acting as if they alone have a monopoly of constitutional rights," he said.

Laguna reported a high of 37% of the total number of voters, with a total of 115,000 signatures, according to Sigaw ng Bayan field reports.

Sarangani Gov, Miguel Rene Dominguez said his target of " a minimum of 35% of the total number of registered voters" is achievable, while Agusan del Sur Gov. Edward Plaza said he is targeting 30% to 40%, "which is already within reach."

Aman Nuno, president of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) and barangay chairman in Taluksangay, Zamboanga City, said that of the total number of 4,000 registered voters in his area, 3,000 or an overwhelming 75 percent have signed the petition for a People’s Initiative.

Dipolog City Mayor Robert Uy said they ran out of forms for the petitions but some 45 percent of the registered voters in his jurisdiction have signed up to support Charter change. "We are expecting to gather a minimum of 50 percent."

Lambino said field reports showed that Nueva Ecija has already garnered 45% support while in Misamis Occidental, 10% was gathered as of Saturday night. He said the positive response to constitutional reforms in an overwhelming majority of the barangay assemblies where the issue was discussed, indicate that the people would like Charter change to take place now so they can partake of its benefits soon enough.

Signature drive stepped up in Central and Northern Luzon

By JUN VELASCO & ORLY GUIRAO

DAGUPAN CITY — The Charter Change Movement in the countryside went into high gear in Central and Northern Luzon to gather signatures for a shift from bicameral-presidential to unicameral-parliamentary system to beat the deadline set for the nationwide plebiscite in June this year.

La Union Gov.Victor Ortega said more than 5l percent of the barangay assemblies in the province responded positively while Pangasinan Reps.Mark Cojuangco and Generoso Tulagan joined Gov. Victor Agbayani and Vice Gov.Oscar Lambino in enlisting a 35 percent sweep in favor of the shift to parliament in Pangasinan.

Leaders of Rotary Clubs, Jaycees, Knights of Columbus, religious organizations, labor, youth, and professional groups joined more than 50,000 barangay captains, councilmen, health workers, and farmers who participated in two-day (Saturday and Sunday) simultaneous consultations provincewide to gather citizens’ signatures for a People’s Initiative to amend the 1987 Charter.

Rep.Conrad Estrella III (6th district, Pangasinan) predicted that his district will turn in more than 50 percent of the registered voters in favor of the People’s Initiative approach. He recalled that his district constituents voted in a plebiscite against the ratification of the 1986 charter, but affirmed that this time more will vote for shift to a parliamentary and unicameral government.

The signatures will be submitted to the provincial supervisor of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) who, in turn, will transmit the documents to the Comelec central office in Manila which will verify the authenticity of the signatures in two weeks time.

In his speeches earlier last week in Palawan, Iloilo and northern Luzon provinces, House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. predicted "a resounding success for the shift to unicameral, parliamentary form of government in a nationwide plebiscite" that is expected to be held in June, this year.

By July, he said, "the parliamentary body will start functioning."

At the same time, De Venecia said that "while there is a powerful wave of public opinion for a unicameral-parliament government in the countryside assemblies, the House of Representatives and the Senate will still work to muster the required three-fourth vote, jointly or separately, for the convening of a Constituent Assembly."

He said at least 175 congressmen from last week’s 160 number of supporters have signed up for the Assembly.

The Speaker said he expects the number to increase to 195 in a forthcoming joint session of both Houses of Congress to complete the three-fourth vote as required by the Constitution to amend the fundamental law through the Assembly.

Congressman Cojuangco had earlier said at least seven senators "have signified their intention to support the amendment by Constitutent Assembly."