MANILA, Philippines — The League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) on Monday said that it is in favor of amending the 1987 Philippine Constitution to keep up with the changing times.
“Alam niyo ‘yong usapin ng charter change, hindi naman bago ito eh. Panahon pa ni President Fidel Ramos ay pinag-uusapan ang charter change, dahil nakikita natin ang kakulangan, ‘yong mga dapat nating baguhin, dahil sa nagbabago na mga panahon,” LCP national chairperson and Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said in a radio interview over DZRH.
(The topic of charter change is not new. Since the time of former president Fidel Ramos, charter change has already been discussed, because we see the shortcomings, the provisions that we need to amendamid changing times.)
In its resolution, the LCP said that proposed amendments to the Constitution will bring about “growth and development” to the country.
“Resolved, that the LCP supports the initiative to propose amendments to the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines as these will bring the necessary growth and development needed by our economy,” the resolution said.
Benitez added that the proposed amendments to the Constitution do not only apply to the economic provision, but to other provisions as well.
“Open po siya, hindi lang siya specific sa economic provisions, alam naman natin na what’s constant is change, ‘pag hindi po tayo makakapag-adjust sa environment natin, sa nagbabagong-panahon ay baka po maiwan tayo,” he added.
(It’s open, not just specific to economic provisions, we know that what’s constant is change, if we can’t adjust to our environment, to the changing times, we may be left behind.)