Cavite governor to gov’t: Focus on COVID-19 response, not charter change

Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla (Photos courtesy of Remulla’s office)

MANILA, Philippines — The government should focus on its response and initiatives against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic instead of charter change, Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla said on Thursday.

Remulla made these remarks after the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) composed of 1,488 mayors turned over to the Department of the Interior and Local Government its resolution dated June 19 supporting amendments to the Constitution.

In a social media post, Remulla said the government should prioritize COVID-19 testing, better contact tracing and quarantine measures, healing the sick and uniting the people towards economic recovery.

“Dapat wala tayo ibang unahin na kung ano-ano. Pagtuunan sana natin ng singular na atensyon ang paglaban at pagsugpo sa pandemya at aksyunan lahat ng problema na dulot nito. Tsaka na ‘yang charter change or the proposed amendments to the Constitution,” said the governor.

(We should not prioritize other things. Let us focus our attention on fighting the pandemic and take action on the problems it causes. Charter change or proposed amendments to the Constitution can be tackled  later.)

Remulla added that government officials should serve the people first before themselves.

“Unahin ang IMPORTANTE. Let us serve the people FIRST before we serve ourselves. Dahil uultin ko: Walang ako, ikaw o sila. Ang mayroon lang ay TAYO. Tayo na, Pilipinas. Unity towards recovery, first,” he added.

(Prioritize what is important. Let us serve the people first before we serve ourselves. I will repeat: There is no me, you, or them. We only have “us.” Let us stand up, Philippines. Unity towards recovery, first.)

While Remulla said he agrees that the Constitution should be amended, he questioned its timeliness, given that the number of COVID-19 cases in the country continues to rise.

Aside from the rising number of infections, Remulla noted that “jobs are lost, the economy is in shambles, lives are disrupted, private schools have closed, and public schools are in flux” amid the crisis.

“This global challenge requires FOCUS and DETERMINATION. Our government must be singular in its effort to control the spread of the disease,” he said.

The LMP particularly called for the institutionalization of the Mandanas Ruling of the Supreme Court in the Constitution to ensure that regions will have continuous fair share in all the taxes collected by the national government.

It also called for the lifting of constitutional restrictions that bar foreign investors from entering certain industries to promote more employment opportunities for people in the countryside.

Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya defended the timing of the proposed constitutional reform, saying this has long been part of the agenda of the Duterte administration.

He said that the proposal is likewise aimed at developing the countryside to prepare the regions for another possible pandemic.

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