15 mayors back Charter Change

Fifteen mayors of Negros Occidental are supporting moves to amend the country’s 1987 Constitution, Victorias City Mayor Javie Miguel Benitez said today.

Benitez, president of the Association of Chief Executives-Negros (ACEl), said that “what is important is to make a consensus. Let it be the sentiments of the people.”

“I asked the members of ACE if they are in favor of the Charter Change and 15 of them said they are in favor,” he said.

Benitez said that Pulupandan Mayor Miguel Peña, President of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Negros Occidental chapter, said he is “okay with economic and political but not okay with land ownership.”

He pointed out that what is important for everyone is development.

“We need competent and smart leaders to lead our country. We have issues that are very important to us, for example education. We also should focus on energy costs. Why do we have expensive power? If we have an educational foundation and a skilled workforce, and if we have low energy costs we could attract investors. There have been laws that have been passed already like the Public Services Act that allows foreign ownership in some industries,” Benitez said.

He also cited the passage of the Retail Liberalization Act that reduces the start up capital from P139 million to P25 million for foreign investors and the Renewable Energy Act that allows foreign ownership.

“But it will require changes in the economic provisions in the Constitution to make it legitimate,” he added.

Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante on Tuesday confirmed that signatures are being gathered in his city.

Escalante, secretary general of the United Negros Alliance (UNEGA) on Tuesday, said a leader of a local association asked his permission that they will gather signatures in Cadiz to support the people’s initiative to amend the country’s Constitution.

“I gave them permission,” the mayor said adding that they already started gathering signatures last week

He added that he is monitoring the signature campaign and there is no payment involved.

As far as UNEGA as a local party is concerned, “it has not been discussed”, he said.

Escalante also said that Rep. Alfredo Marañon III (2nd district) told him he has “no problem with the people’s initiative.”

Board Member Richard Julius Sablan, newly- elected president of the Liga ng mga Barangay in Negros Occidental, said he has received reports of some groups going around asking people to sign a petition for Charter change.

Sablan said the Liga is not involved with it.

Earlier, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said that while he favors amendments to the Constitution’s economic provisions but would not get involved in the “people’s initiative signature drive.”* (Eugene Y. Adiong)