This story was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. VI, No. 9, April 2-8, 2006

POOLED REPORT

Clueless on Cha-cha People’s Initiative
Signatures exchanged for sardines, P20, Philhealth cards

Bulatlat provincial correspondents interviewed barangay (village) officials and residents who were clueless about issues related to changing the 1987 Constitution. Local officials, however, implemented the people’s initiative for charter change, fearful also that they may lose their jobs if they do not do what they were told. Residents, for their part, signed the petition in exchange for money and other goodies.

By BULATLAT TEAM

The government-endorsed people’s initiative for charter change has adopted creative, albeit deceptive, ways in gathering signatures. Bulatlat correspondents in different provinces interviewed barangay (village) officials who gathered the signatures and residents who signed the forms.

A number of barangay officials reported to be only following instructions from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). Residents, on the other hand, said that they signed the people’s initiative even if they do not have sufficient knowledge of charter change. There were others, however, who claimed that they were deceived into signing.

In the interviews, residents identified the barangay officials as the ones spearheading the signature gathering for the proposed changes in the 1987 Constitution.  Several officials said that they were ordered by the mayor or the DILG.

In exchange for their signatures, the residents were given sardines, P20 ($0.39, based on an exchange rate of P51.125 per US dollar) and even barangay financial aid. 

Deceptions galore

In Barangay Mabini, Basey, Samar, a barangay councilor who requested anonymity reported that the president of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) called for a meeting to distribute forms for the signature campaign. The barangay officials were merely told to gather signatures in support of changing the form of government. 

Another barangay councilor, this time from Barangay Sta. Fe, Leyte, said that weeks before the nationwide barangay assembly on March 25, they were called to an assembly in Cebu. All transportation and hotel expenses were shouldered by the DILG. The forms for the signature campaign were reportedly distributed there.  

In Barangay Zone 1 and 2, a nun said that her brother and sister were deceived into signing the forms. A barangay representative went from house to house in the early morning of March 25 to gather signatures. They were told that Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) cards will be given to them upon signing. After signing, they were told that it was actually for the purpose of changing the form of government.

Some residents of Zones 2 and 4 of the same municipality also shared that they were given P20 ($0.39) for signing the forms.

In Dulag, Leyte, all areas held barangay assemblies except Rizal village. During that activity, a DILG representative discussed the issue of charter change.

In Mt. Province, residents interviewed by Northern Dispatch complained that their signatures were also solicited without any explanation of its purpose.

“Basta sinabi nilang may meeting dahil utos daw ni mayor. May multa ang absent sa meeting kaya pumunta kami. Noong nasa meeting na kami, may ipinapapirma sa amin. Tungkol daw sa constitution yun. Hindi ko naman naiintindihan kaya di ako pumirma pero yung iba pumirma,” (They told us that there was a meeting called by the mayor. Then at the meeting, they made us sign forms.  But I didn’t understand what it was all about so I did not sign but the others did.) said a female voter from Abarriongan, Sto. Nino, Cagayan.

“The signature campaign is a farce,” one of the residents said.

In Mt. Province, those who initiated the signature campaign were identified to be barangay officials and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), with support from the governor’s office. Residents of Cagayan Valley said that mayors of different towns called on all barangay officials to gather their respective residents.

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

Mobilization fund

The Comelec office in Mt. Province reportedly received a memorandum from the national office on March 29 to verify the signatures gathered by the officials and the DILG.

Barangay officials in Mt. Province reportedly said that the signature campaign was for the holding of the 2007 elections. Other residents in areas where anti-Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA) sentiments are strong were invited to sign the petition, claiming it is intended to change the president.

Barangay councilor Reginald Uggaddan of Centro, Tumauini, Isabela, said some of his co-officials gave away one can of sardines and P20 for each person who would sign the form. “This move only aggravates our already worsened political and economic crises. This is GMA’s desperate move to maneuver administration toward her gain.”

A Northern Dispatch source from Mt. Province claimed that a mobilization fund for the signature campaign was given by the DILG national office to their provincial office. As of press time, Northern Dispatch tried to contact the DILG Provincial Officer and the Comelec-CAR regional director but to no avail.

Synchronized assemblies

Felipe Gelle, secretary general of the Negros chapter of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan or New Patriotic Alliance) condemned the use of government funds, resources and personnel for the signature campaign. Gelle said that DILG Memorandum Circular 2006-25 issued by Sec. Ronaldo Puno set the synchronized convening of the barangay assemblies.

“It seems that Speaker de Venecia and illegitimate President Gloria Arroyo want to resurrect the ghost of the 1973 Marcos trick of convening a people’s assembly to legalize the 1973 Constitution. It was merely through a process of ‘viva voce’ and raising of hands that the constitution was approved and later affirmed by the Marcos-controlled Supreme Court, Gelle said.

Gelle called on the people not to sign the petition or to allow the DILG personnel and local government officials to use the barangay assembly for this scheme. He also called on the local public officials to take a stand against charter change which was “only in the self-serving interest of traditional politicians to entrench themselves in power.” Reports from Karl G. Ombion (Negros), Johann Arpon (Eastern Visayas), Arthur Allad-iw and Michael Agonoy (Northern Dispatch) / Bulatlat