WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW?

In the middle of the country's economic crisis. The House of Representatives completed its final reading of "Resolution of both houses, No. 6," which pushed for amending the 1987 Philippine Constitution, also known as the "charter change."

The Constitution can be amended by a constitutional convention, which is made up of the elected delegates from each legislative district as well as delegates chosen by the president of the senate and speaker of the house of representatives.

Once the constitutional convention convenes, the entire constitution is open to amendment. This includes term limits for the presidents, vice president, and all elected officials, and the most worrying amendments proponents of Cha Cha want to push is removal of restrictions on foreign ownership of Philippine industries and land. This could potentially allow for 100% foreign ownership. (BAYAN USA)

The House of Representatives estimates that constitutional conventions would cost 9.6 billion pesos.

Our country faces a lot of problems, such as the impact of the pandemic caused by COVID-19, the unemployment rate, the inflation rate, and the most trending problem in our country, our debt. According to the Bureau of the Treasury, on March 7, 2023, the National Government’s (NG) total outstanding debt amounted to P13.70 trillion as of the end of January 2023. In the statement that Philstar Global made on March 8, 2023 "The latest debt level means that every Filipino owes at least P118,000 if the running debt stock is to be divided among the 116 million population in the country". Despite the enormous debt of the Philippines, they still managed to prioritize the constitutional convention WHICH COST 9.6 BILLION PESOS that will squander enormous amounts of money using the public treasury, "Kaban ng Bayan." This is a slap in the face of the Filipino people who are experiencing such problems.

WHO WILL BENEFIT?

Foreign Investors 

Congress has passed several laws that amend our public service act, which allows one hundred percent foreign businesses in the telecommunications, railways, expressways, airports, and shipping industries. Under RA 11595, the minimum paid-up capital requirement for foreign corporations planning to do business here was lowered from PHP 125 million to PHP 25 million. It appears that by amending the constitution through the constitutional convention, they want to tamper with the provision in Article 12 of our current constitution, which states. Read here: https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/constitutions/the-1987-constitution-of-the-Republic-of-the-Philippines/the-1987-constitution-of-the-Republic-of-the-Philippines-Article-XII/

This will be the action that the proponents of constitutional convention want. To betray Filipinos to foreigners who will have control over our natural resources.

Our country will be dependent on the products of the foreign investors, which will cause:

• Disregarding the local products that are made by our fellow Filipino businessmen
• We can only be workers because of the large foreign businesses here in our country.
• We Filipinos will be slaves in the hands of foreigners in our own country.

WHO WILL BENEFIT?

Those in office (elected officials)

Let us not forget the 1971 Constitutional Convention, which made Marcos Sr. sit as president for 20/21 years. All elected officials can benefit from the constitutional convention because one of the things that can be amended is the removal of existing term limits of government officials and effectively extending the terms of sitting officials, which can give them a long-term hold on power.

WHO WILL BE AFFECTED?

Filipinon Workers

The entry of foreign companies in our country is a huge inconvenience to Filipino workers because the chance of competition increasing, especially in local and foreign products, is huge. It will make the crisis worse as it strives to solidify the current governing elite and give further benefits to foreign monopoly capitalists attempting to exploit and plunder the Philippine economy.

WHO WILL BE AFFECTED?

Agriculture Sector

According to the Asia 21 Alumni Series: On Agriculture by Cherrie Atilano, the Philippines remains an agricultural country because of its land, which is estimated at 30 million hectares, 47% of which are agricultural lands. We have rich land, natural resources, hardworking farmers, and research institutions for the development of our agriculture. With the entry of foreign investors into our country, one of the things that will be affected is our agriculture. 

There are many worst affected by this action, and we can see it once the constitutional convention convenes. That is why we need to take action before all. 

In the middle of the impact of the pandemic caused by COVID-19, the unemployment rate, the inflation rate, and the P13.70 trillion debt of our country, we don't need a bill that will burden us as Filipino youth who want peace and who want to feel the democracy that is being denied to us by the powerful people sitting in government positions. The crisis will become even worse with the entry of foreign companies and with the extension of the position of the ruling classes. Foreigners and a few others will benefit from Cha-cha. They are the ones who make our country suffer.

LET US MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD: Kabataan umaksyon at lumaban para sa ating kinabukasan! No to Marcos Chacha's self-serving act!

Please help me to hear the voices of youth who want to save their future by signing this petition.

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