MANILA – The Consultative Committee (ConCom) that President Rodrigo Duterte created to review the 1987 Constitution proposed to give the people an easier way to participate in amending and revising the country’s highest law.
ConCom vice chairman on the subcommittee on the structure of the federal government Roan Libarios said the proposal was in response to the ineffectiveness of Republic Act (RA) 6735, or The Initiative and Referendum Act.
RA 6735 allows the public’s exercise of legislative power through the people’s initiative.
Amendments on the Constitution through the people’s initiative will need the signatures of at least 12 percent of total number of registered voters nationwide and at least three percent of registered voters per congressional district, the law stated.
In ConCom’s proposal, the signatures of at least 10 percent of all registered voters nationwide and at least three percent per congressional district are enough to amend the Constitution.
“Sa experience natin sa Philippines for the last 30 years since in-adopt in 1987 iyong people’s initiative provision sa ating Constitution, wala talagang nangyaring successful na initiative,” Libarios said.
She added, “Kaya hindi nag-gain ng traction ang mechanism of people’s initiative, masyadong stringent ang requirement sa signatures, kulang ng suporta sa ating estado, and wala ring naka-allocate na pondo para sa information drive and campaign.”
The ConCom is also proposing to relax the requirements on people’s initiative, which requires signatures of at least 12 percent of voter turnout in the preceding national elections and at least three percent of voter turnout in every federated region.
In its proposal, Concom said signatures of at least 10 percent of voter turnout in the preceding national elections and at least three percent of voter turnout in every federated region are needed to enact, amend or repeal a federal law.
After gathering the required number of signatures for their petition, the proponents will have to submit their proposed amendments to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), which will then begin the initiative and validate the signatures.
Comelec will refer the petition and proposal to the Federal Constitutional Court to determine if the proposal is constitutional. It will also conduct an information drive during the plebiscite campaign period before the public votes./PN
