MANILA — Several House members have flagged what they said is a campaign for charter change, where mayors were supposedly asked to give P100 to every constituent who would sign a petition to amend a constitutional provision that directs the chambers of Congress to vote separately when modifying the Constitution.

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said mayors from his province were summoned to a meeting on January 5, and were given sheets of paper that they were to have their constituents sign.

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“During the meeting, they were informed that people’s initiative will be used as a mode of amending the Constitution and they were given mobilization funds and the forms to be signed by at least three per centum of the registered voters of the legislative district to which their municipalities belong,” Lagman said in a statement.

“Voters who would sign the petition for people’s initiative will be given P100 each, 50 percent of which has already been advanced to the municipal mayors and respective coordinators,” he said.

“This movement is apparently nationwide as congressmen belonging to various political parties have been sent the necessary forms,” he added.

Lagman did not say who is behind the alleged campaign.

Having the House and the Senate vote together on constitutional amendments would mean the 24-member upper house would easily be outnumbered by their counterparts at the lower house, an issue that has been debated every time charter change is brought up.

KABATAAN FLAGS SEPARATE BUT SIMILAR ATTEMPT

Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel meanwhile has uploaded a photo of a paper similar to what Lagman showed reporters.

The initiative hopes to make the Senate and the House vote jointly, instead of separately, when deciding on any amendment to or revision of the Constitution, the document being circulated showed.

“We are aware that the petition shall be filed with the Commission on Elections for the PROPOSAL TO AMEND ARTICLE XVII. SECTION 1(1) OF THE 1987 CONSTITUTION THROUGH PEOPLE’S INITIATIVE,” the document read.

“We fully understand the Proposition, its rationale, its advantages, as well as its consequences and effects, as we have read the full text and contents thereof, which were explained to us in our dialect or in a language known to us,” it read.

“We know that our signatures constitute our approval of the proposed constitutional amendment and consent to the filing of the instant petition,” it said, noting that a certain Attorney Anthony Abad is authorized to file the petition on the signatories’ behalf.

In a tweet, the Kabataan Party-list representative questioned the origin of the document, and if there was a genuine public clamor for charter change.

“Kakasimula pa lang ng taon, hinahamon na tayo bilang strong soldier,” Manuel said, a reference to online pop culture about who gets the hardest battles.

“Tinutulan natin ang maka-dayuhang Charter Change sa Kamara at hindi ito sumusulong sa Senado pero pilit na binubuhay,” he said.

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'CHARTER CHANGE NOT THE MOST PRESSING ISSUE'

House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro of ACT Teachers Party-list also opposed the the supposed push for charter change via people's initiative, saying that the country has to attend to more pressing issues.

“Hindi Cha-cha ang pangunahing pinoproblema ng mamamayan kundi ang taas ng presyo ng mga bilihin, lalo na ng bigas,” Castro said in a statement.

“Nawawalan din ng trabaho ng napakaraming mga tsuper kapag ipinilit ang PUV consolidation, dadagdag pa ito sa marami na ngang walang trabaho,” she said.

Discussions on amending the 1987 Constitution have come up in every presidency since Fidel Ramos' and have been met with varying degrees of enthusiasm by sitting presidents.

Rodrigo Duterte made constitutional change towards a federal form of government a campaign promise but eventually acknowledged that there was no appetite for it among the Filipino people.

Castro said that the latest supposed campaign be another attempt to prolong the terms of several politicians, and open more industries to foreign ownership.

SPEAKER WANTS ECONOMIC PROVISIONS CHANGED

In December, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said the House of Representatives would push to amend portions of the 1987 Constitution this year.

“I believe 2024 will allow us again to revisit the whole issue of the constitution because I think it’s timely that we revisit and I say we’d like to focus very much on the economic provisions,” Romualdez told the media during a Christmas event.

“Perhaps there might be some initiatives even during the break that would prepare us for the ensuing year and perhaps what would be our legacy in the 19th Congress, which is to review and revisit the 1987 Constitution and make it more attuned, sensitive and responsive to the times,” he said.

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MODES OF CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

There were several attempts to overhaul the 1987 Constitution, with proposals ranging from changing the form of government to amending economic provisions.

While several proposals have been approved in the House of Representatives, the measures have failed to prosper due to a lack of support in the Senate.

Under the current Constitution, the charter can be changed either through a constituent assembly, a constitutional convention or a people’s initiative.

The legislative branch may convene into a constituent assembly with the vote of at least three-fourths of its members.

Congress can also call for the election of a constitutional convention as long as lawmakers can garner two-thirds of votes from the chamber.

The Constitution, however, instructs the Senate and the House to garner these votes in their respective chambers, thereby rendering one chamber’s efforts inutile if the other fails to get the required number of votes.

Meantime, the public can directly propose constitutional amendments through a people's initiative by lodging a petition signed by at least 12 percent of the total number of registered voters, with each legislative district represented by at least 3 percent of registered voters.