MANILA, Philippines?Malacańang officials on Thursday scoffed at forecasts that the Arroyo administration would mount its final push for Charter change this year to extend the President?s term beyond 2010.
?Whatever the administration does, the President?s critics will always see ghosts, shadows and goblins of term extension,? Political Affairs Secretary Gabriel Claudio said in a text message.
The government, he said, would rather focus on effective governance in a bid to shield the economy and people from the global financial crisis, and prepare the country for the May 2010 national elections.?
?Priority governance will also include preparations for 2010, particularly in terms of ensuring clean, honest, orderly and credible elections,? Claudio added.
The opposition Black & White Movement has vowed to block the administration?s drive to rewrite the 1987 Constitution, suspecting that it is meant to extend Ms Arroyo?s stay in power.
Press Secretary Jesus Dureza, for his part, declined to comment on statements by ?critics whose hearts and minds are still consumed by political fears.?
?We hope the spirit of the new year brings fresh and positive thoughts and for all to be united behind the President?s focused efforts to prepare the nation to weather the challenges we face in 2009,? he said.
Contingency plans
On the eve of New Year?s Day in Baguio, where the First Family is on a holiday break, Ms Arroyo refused to talk about her political plans in 2010.
?Politics is not foremost in my mind. If I were always thinking about politics, I would not have been able to build all these roads in the Cordillera and all these (projects),? the Office of the Press Secretary quoted her as telling the media last Wednesday. ?So let?s talk economics, not politics.?
She went on to talk about the government?s contingency plans against the global recession.
The administration-dominated House of Representatives is spearheading a move to convene the chamber and the Senate into a constituent assembly to amend or revise the Charter.
The move, if it prospers, could open the floodgates for the introduction of reforms, including lifting the President?s term limits or paving the way for a shift to a parliamentary form of government, critics said.
After a storm of criticism from Catholic bishops, the political opposition and civic leaders, administration lawmakers imposed a moratorium on Charter change debates during the holidays.
