Signature by force
DESPITE the decision of the President to go slow in amending the Constitution, the move for a people's initiative remains very much alive.
The Makati Ladies Club at South Sembo in Makati, is gung-ho on the drive to collect signatures for a people's initiative. They've been successful in gathering thousands of signatures with or without having to explain what they're for.
Still, the signatures have started to pour into the Pirma head office in Makati, some of them incomplete in the rush to beat their deadline. They aim to piggyback on the baranggay elections this May, legal impediments notwithstanding.
The Liga ng mga Baranggay says they will have their 10 million signatures within 60 days. They started from the regions slowly working their way to Metro Manila.
The signature forms from the Liga, Pirma and MPI are similar even in the complicated presentation of their proposed ammendments.
They recognize this problem so they use the parochial approach in convincing would be signees.
In Makati, they use Mayor Jejomar Binay as their example and not President Ramos.
Meanwhile, a comelec official warns of a possible postponement of the barangay elections this May. This, after the Liga ng mga Barangay asked the Supreme Court to postpone the elections till 1999.
The Comelec official says the Department of Budget and Management will reportedly hold all election funds until the petition filed by the Liga ng mga Baranggay is resolved.
Liga says Republic Act 6679, states that baranggay officials can hold office for five years. The last baranggay elections were held in 1994.
LAKAS Sourgrapes
MALACANANG is unperturbed about a "united opposition" against charter changes. Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Gabriel Claudio, predicts this group will not stay united for long.
Claudio says the alliance is led by politicians who all want to run for the presidency in 1998. But some Lakas insiders also have doubts about the administration party.
House Speaker Jose de Venecia may have succeeded in convincing 35 congressmen to stay away from charter changes, but he still has more than a hundred lawmakers to persuade.
The anti-charter change issue will be a main point of debate in the 1998 campaign. Opposition parties have formed an alliance against charter change which they think and hope is the perfect platform to sweep the elections.
Rep. Antonio Abaya, NPC's deputy secretary general for Luzon, says: "Lakas should withdraw its corporate sponsorship of Pirma and order its members to stop being its unabashed salesmen."
Congresswoman Daisy Avance-Fuentes challenged the administration to declare a "hands-off policy" on all ways to amend the charter.
"If the trial balloon is shot down by public opinion, use the Pirma parachute and hit the ground running - for more signatures."
Fuentes isn't surprised that Lakas had back-up plans all along.
Rep. Rodolfo Albano was among 35 Lakas congressmen who were asked, not very nicely the other night, to get back to work on the legislative agenda.
"(But) we should allow our people not to be manipulated by bigtime, pseudo-politicians," says Albano.
For now, pro-charter change Lakas lawmakers outnumber those who are against it.
Senator Juan Flavier says the rift within the party may worsen.
The charter change debate is also about otherwise petty issues, like who gets what when the third-termers are gone. A source says second-termers are afraid they won't ever get a crack at House positions.
Some 50 committee chairmanships, floor leaderships, deputy speakerships and the speakership itself, posts traditionally reserved for third-termers who most probably would favor charter changes to stay in power.
Palace twits Miriams charge
SENATOR Miriam Santiago asked the Supreme Court to stop the Sandiganbayan from suspending her. Santiago says the move was a ploy to silence her.
But Malacanang correspondent Tony Velasquez, reports Santiago's suspension will not weaken the opposition's stand against charter changes.
Senator Santiago describes the order for her 90-day suspension as pathetic, ridiculous, a bad joke.
Santiago's lawyers argue against it on more legal grounds. They say the Sandiganbayan has no authority to suspend a senator because they belong to co-equal branches of government.
It may be a weak argument. The same line of reasoning did not stop the Supreme Court last month when it upheld a Sandiganbayan order suspending Congressman Ceferino Paredes on graft charges.
Senator Santiago chairs the Senate committee on constitutional amendments. She accuses President Ramos of conspiring with the Sandiganbyan to silence her and clear the way for charter changes.
This was quickly denied. Santiago's counterpart in the Lower House believes her suspension can hardly weaken Senate opposition to charter changes.
Ramos has ignored Santiago's challenge to a debate on charter changes. Instead, he again reassures the public that he's a democracy-loving and god-fearing man who respects the constitution.
Apology for misconduct
SENATORS Nikki Coseteng and Heherson Alvarez are being asked to apologize for quarreling in public last Tuesday.
Alvarez says he's sorry. But Coseteng still seems to be fuming over the incident.
Congressman Antonio Cuenco, says this broken glass belongs to the museum, a historical artifact about the time two senators ignored parliamentary courtesy and loudly quarreled in the middle of a congressional meeting.
They were discussing the promotion of a general Coseteng accused of infidelity, when Coseteng and Alvarez ended up insinuating neither of them had been faithful anyway.
In Taiwan, legislators are known to settle a debate with their fists. But such outbursts are seldom seen even in the rough and tumble world of the Philippine Congress.
The microphone and telephone flew across the room, several glasses were broken, one lawmaker tried stopping the fight and got hit in the groin instead. Another was doused with coffee.
Senate President Ernesto Maceda, says it's up to the Commission on Appointments to decide on the disciplinary action, if any. The incident took place during a CA meeting.
Coseteng and Alvarez, by their behavior may have offended Congress, but it would be harder to live down the embarassment they brought upon themselves.
RP's economic "rite of passage"
THE PHILIPPINES is on the brink of leaving the International Monetary Fund's borrowing program, considered a rite of passage that will mark the country's graduation from economic supervision by the IMF.
The country has been under IMF supervision for 35 years. Government accepted stringent controls over economic policy in return for loans, and more loans.
Since 1994, government has not borrowed money from the IMF. With its continued strong economic performance government is confident of finally breaking free from the IMF. The last IMF borrowing program ends on June 23.
The only major requisite is the passage of the income tax component of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP). Finance Secretary Roberto de Ocampo, says it will be passed before June 23.
The IMF acknowledges the country's economic strides. With government meeting and even exceeding some of its targets, they say more pressing concerns can now be tackled, such as developing the agriculture sector and alleviating poverty.
Leaving the IMF program is proof of the country's economic stability.
Government is now bent on completing its reform agenda to make sure we never go back.
IMF expects below par GDP in '97
THE International Monetary Fund (IMF), says gross domestic product, the value of goods and services produced in the country, is expected to grow by around six percent this year. The figure is lower than the original forecast of 7.1 to 7.8 percent.
The adjusted projections came after the actual 1996 GDP figure of 5.5 percent was announced in January.
Bangko Sentral officials expect a lower balance of payments surplus of $2.9 billion, as compared to $4.1 billion in 1996, because of Philippine Airlines' $1.1 billion aircraft acquisition program.
The balance of payments measures non-merchandise and merchandise trade, transfer or donations from abroad, inflows and outflows of foreign loans and investments.
The trade deficit is expected to widen to $13.8 billion.
Meanwhile, shareprices ended a shade down today. Traders said the market shrugged off news of the death of Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping.
Jose Ricardo Garcia of Diversified Securities, says the Chinese leader's death could even be an advantage for the Philippines as foreign fund managers may feel safer investing in a country with less political uncertainty.
Hepa downs 300 UST students
A HEPATITIS-A outbreak has downed 300 students of the University of Sto. Tomas in Manila.
The health department says the outbreak began last month and may have been caused by contaminated water at the university. Health Secretary Carmencita Reodica, says leaks were discovered in the school's water reservoir and underground pipes.
UST Health Services Director Dr. William Olalia, says they have advised students and teachers not to drink tap water and avoid eating food sold by vendors outside the campus.
Hepatitis-A is a viral infection that causes liver inflammation. Symptoms include fever, stomach aches and yellowing of the eyes.
AI lobbies to stop death sentence
AMNESTY International (AI) will try to prevent the country from carrying out its executions of death convicts. AI says the death penalty has not proven to be a deterrent to crime.
The group will lobby Congress and hold rallies against the executions which may begin this August.
The local chapter of the human rights group is busy preparing for an international human rights festival which aims to increase human rights awareness among the youth.
Peņalosa is WBC's new Super-flyweight King
THE PHILIPPINES has a new world boxing champion. Gerry Peņalosa crowned himself as the new World Boxing Council's super-flyweight king. He beat Hiroshi Kawashima of Japan by a unanimous decision.
The match turned out to be a one-man show by the Filipino.
Peņalosa started strong connecting almost at will in the first four rounds. He dropped Kawashima with a short left at the end of round 2, but it was ruled a slip by the referee.
By the end of the third, the champion's face was already swelling. In the fifth, Kawashima began to score with body blows.
In the sixth, he staggered Peņalosa with a barrage of punches to the head. But it was all Penalosa again from there.
In several occasions Kawashima appeared to go down. It was clear who won the bout when the final bell sounded.
In golf, a strong first round by Robert Pactolerin at the Manila Open in Wack Wack. He fired a 4-under par 68 to forge a three-way tie for the lead.
The 35-year old Pactolerin, last year's order of merit leader, gunned five birdies against a lone bogey.
Tying him are Canadian Ian Legatt and Dean Wilson of Hawaii. Last year's winner, Danny Zarate, is 2 shots behind at 70.
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Jacob's fate remains hanging
AS SAN Miguel Beer prepares for its first game tomorrow, the issue of Ron Jacobs's appointment as head coach remains unresolved.
The Basketball Association of the Philippines, says his appointment is illegal.
In a letter addressed to Labor and Employment National Capital Region Director Romeo Young, BCAP head Yeng Guiao, said the issuance of a permit to Jacobs by the Games and Amusement Board violated a Supreme Court ruling.
"Our association maintains that your issuance of permit to Mr. Jacobs is a violation of the Supreme Court ruling based in the Tim Cone vs. Ruben Torres decision promulgated on April 22, 1991."
While the DOLE continues to look into the matter, Jacobs will call the shots for the Beermen.