Padilla assures Cha-cha will only cover economic provisions, not political

FILE PHOTO: Senator Robinhood Padilla during a plenary session on February 15, 2023. Senate PRIB file photo / Joseph Vidal

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Robin Padilla shared on Wednesday that he is thinking of resigning every day, saying that he is not a politician, but a revolutionary.

Padilla made the remark as he assured the public that his proposed changes to the 1987 Constitution will be limited to economic provisions and not cover political changes.

“Kunin na lang po ninyo ang salita ng isang rebolusyonaryo. Ako po’y hindi politiko. Ako po’y pinilit lang na pumasok dito sa pulitika. Ako po ay nananatiling rebolusyonaryo hanggang sa oras na ‘to,” the neophyte senator said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.

(Just mark the words of a revolutionary. I’m not a politician. I was just forced to enter politics. I remain a revolutionary up to this time.)

“Ako po’y mag-iingay kapag ang usapan dito’y napunta na sa pulitika. Maniwala po kayo sa akin, hindi po ako kapit-tuko sa posisyon na ‘to. Araw-araw po na ginawa ng Diyos, wala po akong ibang gustong gawin kundi mag-resign. Hindi po ako makapag-chicks dito. Ang hirap, totoo po ‘yan,” he went on.

(I will make noise when discussions go to political amendments. Believe me, I do not want to stick to this position. Every day that God made, I do not want to do anything but resign. I cannot have women here. It’s difficult, that’s true.)

Padilla likewise told the public that Charter change (Cha-cha) is the only way to alleviate the sufferings of Filipinos.

“Lahat po ng mga mambabatas — maging sa mataas, mababang kapulungan — wala pong sinasabi ‘yan kung hindi bibigyan kayo ng trabaho, iaahon kayo sa kahirapan, magiging mura ang pagkain,” the senator said.

(All lawmakers — from the lower and upper chamber — say that they want to provide jobs, lift you from poverty, and lower food prices.)

“Isa na lang po ang natitirang paraan, na ginawa ng mga kapitbahay natin at sila po’y naging matagumpay, ‘yun po ang pagbubukas ng kanilang foreign investment, ang pagpapasaayos ng kanilang economic [provisions],” he stressed.

(There is only one way, which our neighbors did and they were successful, that is opening foreign investments, fixing their economic provisions.)

Padilla proposed Cha-cha via a constituent assembly where the Senate and House of Representatives would separately vote.

The actor-turned-senator pointed out that the country “must amend its Constitution by removing these restrictive economic provisions to allow foreign businesses to directly invest in a more conducive landscape.”

Some of Padilla’s colleagues in the upper chamber, however, said that Cha-cha is not timely.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also earlier said that Cha-cha is not a priority of his administration.

JPV