Women's group bucks Cha-cha push
Published Jul 23, 2018 10:55 am
By Charissa Luci-Atienza
Gabriela Women’s Party (GWP) lawmakers warned today President Duterte against issuing a marching order to Congress to railroad Charter change (Cha-cha), saying that it is tantamount to committing "political suicide."
Gabriela Women's Party
Gabriela Rep. Emmi de Jesus said the Chief Executive will only isolate himself if he insists on Congress to push for Cha-cha for his federalism proposal.
"Insisting on Cha-cha will be “political suicide” at a time when women and the people are reeling from rising prices of basic goods while wages generally remain stagnant," she said after the officials and members of the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments are expected to roll up their sleeves this week to tackle the draft Federal Constitution submitted by the Consultative Committee (Con-Com).
Southern Leyte Rep. Roger Mercado, panel chairman, said they set the hearing on Wednesday, July 25 to tackle ConCom's output.
"Walang ibang adyenda ang Chacha kundi baklasin ang mga demokratiko at patriyotikong probisyon sa Saligang Batas na ipinaglaban ng mamamayan, at paramihin ang mga pulitikong sweswelduhan mula sa buwis ng taumbayan (Cha-cha has no agenda other than scrapping the democratic and patriotic provisions of the Constitution which our people have been fighting for and multiplying the politicians who will receive salary from the taxpayers' money), " De Jesus said.
She urged Congress to prioritize the deliberations and passage of the Makabayan bloc's House Bill 7653 repealing the regressive provisions of the TRAIN Law and House Bill 7787 seeking a uniform national minimum wage pegged at P750 daily.
She noted that more House members and senators have expressed reservations to the federal shift on top of the evident rejection of Cha-cha by the majority of Filipinos as reflected in surveys.
For her part, Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas said no camera angle can conceal the supposed bloody human rights record of the Duterte government, citing that nearly 28,000 Filipinos have been killed in police operations against drugs since Duterte came into power.
She laments that at least eight women were raped by the police under Duterte’s term and amid the President’s macho-fascist exhortations.
“As Duterte builds his dictatorship through the vigorous crackdown on poor Pinoys and government critics, he is also leaving a death trail that has already surpassed the records of previous presidents. But he is also courting a historic firestorm of protests from women and the people that will snuff his desire to destroy democratic institutions and reign uncontested,” Brosas said.
Gabriela Women's Party
Gabriela Rep. Emmi de Jesus said the Chief Executive will only isolate himself if he insists on Congress to push for Cha-cha for his federalism proposal.
"Insisting on Cha-cha will be “political suicide” at a time when women and the people are reeling from rising prices of basic goods while wages generally remain stagnant," she said after the officials and members of the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments are expected to roll up their sleeves this week to tackle the draft Federal Constitution submitted by the Consultative Committee (Con-Com).
Southern Leyte Rep. Roger Mercado, panel chairman, said they set the hearing on Wednesday, July 25 to tackle ConCom's output.
"Walang ibang adyenda ang Chacha kundi baklasin ang mga demokratiko at patriyotikong probisyon sa Saligang Batas na ipinaglaban ng mamamayan, at paramihin ang mga pulitikong sweswelduhan mula sa buwis ng taumbayan (Cha-cha has no agenda other than scrapping the democratic and patriotic provisions of the Constitution which our people have been fighting for and multiplying the politicians who will receive salary from the taxpayers' money), " De Jesus said.
She urged Congress to prioritize the deliberations and passage of the Makabayan bloc's House Bill 7653 repealing the regressive provisions of the TRAIN Law and House Bill 7787 seeking a uniform national minimum wage pegged at P750 daily.
She noted that more House members and senators have expressed reservations to the federal shift on top of the evident rejection of Cha-cha by the majority of Filipinos as reflected in surveys.
For her part, Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas said no camera angle can conceal the supposed bloody human rights record of the Duterte government, citing that nearly 28,000 Filipinos have been killed in police operations against drugs since Duterte came into power.
She laments that at least eight women were raped by the police under Duterte’s term and amid the President’s macho-fascist exhortations.
“As Duterte builds his dictatorship through the vigorous crackdown on poor Pinoys and government critics, he is also leaving a death trail that has already surpassed the records of previous presidents. But he is also courting a historic firestorm of protests from women and the people that will snuff his desire to destroy democratic institutions and reign uncontested,” Brosas said.