PRESIDENT Arroyo said Friday that while she
has been advocating Charter change, she would not spend her
remaining years in office initiating it.
Arroyo, at the Philippine Economic Forum at
the Shangri La Hotel in Makati City said she is leaving it to
other people who are supportive of the proposal to rewrite the
Constitution to initiate and campaign for it.
She said she is also leaving it to the
proponents and the public in general to decide the mode in which
the Constitution could be amended and when. She, however,
recommended that the electoral system be prioritized.
"I’ve given my advocacy and they are enough.
At this moment time, it shouldn’t start from me because I have
two and a half years left so it should start now from the people
and the political leaders who believe in it as well. So I will
support it but we will leave it up to the people and the
political leaders on how to go about it and what specific
reforms," she said.
Local government leaders led by Albay
governor Joey Salceda launched a roadshow educating and
informing the public about the need to amend the Constitution,
particularly to pave the way for a change in government form to
federalism.
Malacañang has distanced itself form the initiative, denying
that it was intended to divert the attention of the public from
present controversies or to prolong the stay of the President in
office. – Jocelyn Montemayor
