BACOLOD City – Civic and religious groups will troop to the city streets today to express opposition to Charter change.
Militant groups, on the other hand, will hold their own version of the State of the Nation Address (SONA).
President Rodrigo Duterte was scheduled to deliver his third SONA this afternoon at the Batasan Complex in Quezon City.
Groups participating in “Bagting Contra Cha-Cha” will assemble at the Negros Occidental Provincial Capitol Lagoon and march to the city public plaza while church bells are being tolled.
The event – headed by former Negros Occidental governor Rafael Coscolluela – aims to raise awareness among Negrenses about the ills of amending the 1987 Constitution.
The Consultative Committee (Con-com), which Duterte formed to propose amendments to the 1987 Constitution, approved the final draft of its proposed federal Charter on July 3. Its 22 members and their staffs signed the document without opposition.
Among the key points of the proposal are the “distribution” of state powers traditionally concentrated in the central government, and prohibitions on political dynasties up to the second degree of consanguinity or affinity and party-switching, Con-com spokesman Ding Generoso had said.
Still this afternoon, groups under the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Negros will also gather at the city public plaza to hold the “SONA sang Masa.”
Bayan-Negros secretary-general Mike dela Concepcion said they will mobilize “close to 5,000 individuals” to call for the ouster of Duterte.
Similar protest actions will be held simultaneously in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental and Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, said dela Concepcion.
“SONA sang Masa” will be highlighted by speakers taking turns in presenting their interpretation of the state of the nation under the Duterte administration, Bayan-Negros said./PN
