PNOY CONSULTATION ON CHA-CHA: NO TIMELINE, SHOWS STRONG SUPPORT, WONT DERAIL VITAL BILLS By: InterAksyon August 17, 2014 7:20 PM [[ And, said Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, not everyone is criticizing Mr. Aquino for saying...that he has changed his mind about opposing Charter change and is now open to one - with a view to clipping the powers of the Supreme Court, which dealt him a series of setbacks in recent months, and possibly even lifting term limits. ]] MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III is not following a timeline for consultations he says he is making with his bosses, the people, on ways to secure his reforms, including the option of Charter change that could grant him a second term, a Palace official said Sunday. And, said Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, not everyone is criticizing Mr. Aquino for saying Wednesday in an exclusive TV5 interview that he has changed his mind about opposing Charter change and is now open to one - with a view to clipping the powers of the Supreme Court, which dealt him a series of setbacks in recent months, and possibly even lifting term limits. Asked whether the President has a timeline for his consultations with the people, Coloma replied, wala namang limit—time limit ‘yung konsultasyon, dahil sa araw-araw naman na pagganap sa kanyang tungkulin bahagi ito ng kanyang prinsipyo at pilosopiya ng pamamahala—‘yung patuloy na pakikinig sa mga boss [There is no time limit because in the daily course of his work, it is always part of his philosophy of governance to keep listening to people]. The lack of a firm schedule for feeling the peoples pulse on ways to ensure his administrations reforms are preserved and sustained by his successor raised more doubts about how serious the President is about Charter change, given the limited time left before the May 2016 elections. Coloma said that based on the feedback they continuously track on social media platforms, there are many people who profess faith in the President and want him to continue his reforms. The Palace official, fielding questions in an interview on state-run radyo ng Bayan Sunday, also assured the public that Mr. Aquino will not let the Charter-change issue detract attention away from priority bills that the Executive has vowed to push through its allies in Congress, notably the Freedom of Information bill. Talaga pong bibigyan ng prayoridad na atensyon ‘yung 26 na panukalang batas na kabilang doon sa listahan na ibinigay ni Secretary (Paquito) Ochoa sa mga lider ng Kongreso, Coloma said. The President, he stressed, always takes to heart the vow he made to the people when he was sworn into office in 2010, “kayo ang boss ko.” That is why he [Aquino] believes that by continually trying to find out the peoples views, he can give flesh to their inputs and suggestions on how the reforms begun in his watch can be preserved and pursued, Coloma added, speaking in Filipino. Asked if Aquino is bothered by criticism - many coming from his allies and people who were with his family in the anti-dictatorship struggle - that he has shattered the democratic legacy, Coloma said the feedback they get through social media and the Presidents official web site indicate that balanse naman po ‘yung daloy ng opinyon. Kung meron pong hindi sumasang-ayon ay marami din po ang sumasang-ayon [the flow of opinion is balanced. If there are those who disagree with him, there are also those who agree]. He disputed the impression that there is an avalanche of negative reaction against Mr. Aquinos stated openness to Charter change, either for curbing the judiciary or lifting term limits. He added, marami rin po ‘yung nagpapahiwatig ng kanilang patuloy na pagtangkilik sa Pangulo at ‘yung pakikiisa sa kanya sa kanyang layunin na ipagpatuloy ang mga repormang nasimulan na [many profess their support for the president and identify with his goal of reforms]. Since the TV5 interview, the notion of amending the 1987 Charter, popularly called the Cory Constitution after the incumbents mother who had made it her first priority with the post-Marcos democratic restoration, has drawn flak from many quarters. Coloma fended off comments that Aquinos turnaround could shatter the legacy of his parents, especially his mother who spoke against Charter change in a big Luneta rally in 1997. Its not just the militant groups and those from the traditional opposition speaking up: the most cutting comments have come from some of those who once worked with the Presidents parents - his mother Cory and before that, her martyred senator-husband Ninoy. Among those who made critical comments were Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas who was at EDSA 1986 as the close aide of Cardinal Jaime Sin; Vice President Jejomar Binay who was a human-rights lawyer and provided security for Cory Aquino; former Comelec chairman Christian Monsod, along with other members of the Constitutional Commission that drafted the 1987 Charter. Sectoral groups also took to the streets last Friday, with rallies in three key areas of Metro Manila and a noise barrage; and vows to mount a bigger demonstration on Aug. 25. Social media comments pure, many support PNoy - Coloma He said the beauty of social media platforms is that a leader gets feedback that is very pure. Kung ano talaga ang sinabi ay wala naman pong editing dahil ‘yon mismo ang lumalabas sa monitoring. Kaya tiyak pong naririnig po namin ang mga tinig na nagpapahayag ng kanilang saloobin [You get whatever is expressed without editing, because thats what really comes out in the monitoring. Thats why were sure we hear the voices that truly express their sentiments. In his exclusive interview with TV5s resident legal analyst Atty. Mel Sta. Maria last Aug.13, President Aquino said he used to be closed to the idea of constitutional amendments, but has reconsidered in light of recent developments. He then expounded on his basis for taking issue with the SCs July 1, 2014 unanimous ruling against his Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP). He said that while the 1987 Constitution, when framed, sought to bolster the judiciary to avoid a repeat of Marcos martial law, it seemed that the judiciary had this time around itself become too powerful. He said its DAP ruling rode roughshod over the constitutional rights of presumption of innocence by imputing bad faith to the Executive. Palace officials later explained that the President did not so much wish to clip the courts powers by advocating Charter change, but merely to restore the balance among three branches of government.### interaksyon/article/93474/pnoy-consultation-on-cha-cha-no-timeline-shows-strong-support-wont-derail-vital-bills
Posted on: Mon, 18 Aug 2014 03:19:43 +0000
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