PPCRV said yesterday’s forum was part of their ongoing information drive on Cha-cha since they already conducted the same forum in other parts of the country such as Dagupan, Cotabato, and Borongan in Eastern Samar to name a few.

Dr. Zenaida Rotea, PPCRV treasurer, said they decided to hold the forum, believing that the people have the right to be informed and enlightened on the issues surrounding Charter change so that later they will be able to decide accordingly.

To help them achieve this purpose, the church poll watchdog invited speakers and reactors, namely, lawyer Andres Bautista, Dean of Studies of the Far Eastern University Institute of Law, and Dr. Jose Abueva, chairman of the Consultative Commission on Constitutional Reform, among other guests.

Bautista, in his speech, presented some of the basic issues surrounding Charter change, particularly the difference between the shift from a presidential form of government to parliamentary and the shift from the present to a federal system of government.

"I believe it’s not really in the system, rather it’s in the people. After all is said and done it’s all about the people," he said.

"In the end, it does not matter whether you voted yes or no (for Cha-cha) for as long as your decision is well studied and thought of and not something that you sold," he said, which was actually the same sentiment of Abueva.

"It’s good to be informed because we have to study those different options," Abueva said.

But as of now, he said, there is only one proposal to achieve changes in the country and this is the people’s initiative.

Abueva, one of the proponents of the people’s initiative, then blamed the prevailing divisiveness in the country on why some people find it hard to accept the initiative.

"We are so politically divided. Our imagination is so rich so that we are trying to guess what are the motives of those pushing for Cha-cha," he said.

"People’s initiative should be honored. It is the only way of fulfilling the people’s sovereignty," he added.

PPCRV is the citizen’s arm of the Commission on Elections.

Cha-cha advocates hopeful of plebiscite before year ends

By EDMER F. PANESA

Realizing that it is now highly impossible for them to meet their self-imposed July deadline, Charter change (Cha-cha) advocates are giving themselves until early next year to work on their dream of changing the country’s form of government to a unicameral parliamentary.

Guesting at yesterday’s "Kapihan sa Sulo" news forum in Quezon City, Ramon Orosa of the Advocacy Commission expressed optimism that a plebiscite for Cha-cha will be held before the year ends.

Orosa said that in the plebiscite, voters would be asked if they are in favor of changing the form of government from the present bicameral presidential to a unicameral parliamentary. No other questions will be asked in the plebiscite, he said.

He explained that should the people vote for the shift, it would be then an interim parliament composed of the present members of Congress who will vote on the other amendments to the 1987 Constitution such as the proposed economic liberalization and the transitory provision.

The work of the interim parliamentary might be completed during the first quarter of 2007, Orosa said.

If this happens, he said, the country will have a new Charter before the midterm elections in May next year.

According to Orosa, the district offices of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) are almost done in verifying the signatures gathered by the Sigaw ng Bayan coalition.

The coalition claimed it had gathered more than 9 million signatures nationwide and it covers at least 8 percent, which is 5 percent more than the required percentage of registered voters to amend the Constitution via people’s initiative.

Orosa said they are aware that once a plebiscite is called by Comelec, anti-Cha-cha advocates would certainly question the same before the Supreme Court.

His conservative estimate is that the SC will issue its decision in September or October.

"I think if the SC will rule in favor of Charter change, a plebiscite can be held before the year ends," Orosa said.

He said nobody has filed a petition before the SC yet because both pro- and anti-Cha-cha advocates are waiting for Comelec to call or reject a plebiscite.