Support from the Governor
In time for the holding of barangay assemblies, each barangay received financial aid amounting to P3,000 ($58.68) from Leyte Governor Jericho “Icot” Petilla. He said that there was nothing wrong with the financial aid because they are mandated by law to provide P2,500 ($48.90) per barangay yearly. He added that the provincial government is yet to give last year’s subsidy.
Petilla denied that barangay assemblies were used as a way to gather signatures, saying “that was not the major agenda in the barangay assembly.”
This was, however, countered by residents who claimed that the people’s initiative was the major agenda, and in some cases the only issue discussed.
For fear of losing their jobs
In Barangays 3, 4, 37, and Airport-Singcang in Bacolod City, barangay officials have been gathering signatures since March 25, asking residents if they are in favor of charter change.
Local voters interviewed by Bulatlat said that local officials told them to sign without bothering to explain what they were signing. Others said they were even scolded by the local officials when they asked questions.
“If you don’t want to sign, it’s up to you,” the voters were told. Some village officials admitted that the forms were delivered to them by DILG employees. The local DILG office denied it.
In Barangay Calumanggan, Bago City (15 kms. south of Bacolod) local residents told Bulatlat that on March 25 and 26, a team of barangay health workers (BHWs) went to the areas asking people to sign the forms, the content of which was not explained to them. They were just told to check whether or not they are in favor of charter change. Others were assured by the health workers that it was merely an opinion survey by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Some BHWs admitted to the residents that they did not fully agree with the people’s initiative for charter change but had to do it because they might lose their jobs, or lose the scholarships of some of their children.
The same was true for some barangay officials in the interior barangays in Manapla town, around 50 kms north of Bacolod, who admitted to Bulatlat that they were against charter change but were forced to implement the signature campaign because they might lose the support of higher officials.
Against charter change
In some interior villages in the towns of Valladolid and San Enrique and in the cities of Bago and La Carlota (all south of Bacolod), barangay officials reported that only a few people signed up for charter change in barangay centers on March 25. They noted that people did not show any interest, while others would tell them, “We will sign if it is for the resignation of Gloria (Macapagal-Arroyo).”
Negros local officials also expressed anti-charter change sentiments. “I don’t understand why the government keeps on denying that this is their initiative, not the people’s initiative, because it is very clear that government people are the ones roaming around and telling people to sign without even educating them on the content of the charter amendments and the forms they are supposed to sign,” Valladolid Mayor Ricardo Presbitero, Jr. said
Presbitero suspected that the government officials’ reason for pushing through with the so-called people’s initiative is to perpetuate themselves in power.
Negros Occidental Governor Joseph Marañon said that the amendments in the Constitution were not presented clearly to the people and the barangay assemblies held do not reflect the sentiment of the majority. He said that government officials should not take part in the people’s initiative, and that the people should be left alone to decide.“I did not go around promoting (charter change), I didn’t even sign.”
Provincial Board Member Francis Tuvilla said that the event was not a legitimate people’s initiative.“The barangay assembly which is a venue for listening to the people was instead used to impose the vested interest of the ruling coalition upon the people.” Tuvilla added that the event was disempowering instead of empowering. “Clearly not a people’s initiative but a selfish motive,” said Tuvilla
