TACLOBAN CITY– Various progressive and Church-based organizations are up in arms following the plan to change the country’s 1987 Constitution through the people’s initiative.
“I do not favor charter change whether it is people’s initiative or constituent assembly. Charter change is not the answer to inflation, unemployment, housing crisis, education crisis, corruption, and economic crisis in the country,” said lawyer Aaron Pedrosa, leader of Sanlakas.

He said charter change only benefits the politicians who want to extend their term of office.
Renato Reyes Jr., secretary general of progressive group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, said the signature campaign for people’s initiative being done in the communities “has no legal or moral basis and has been exposed as a grand swindle.”

“The people’s initiative can and will be defeated because it is advocating self-serving changes in the Constitution and is being undertaken through highly questionable means,” added Reyes in a public statement.

Reyes maintained that instead of charter change, the nation’s leaders should focus on creating more livelihood, efficient public transport system, improving human rights conditions, justice, education, health, national industrialization, and democracy.

President Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, president of the Catholic Church’s social arm, earlier said that “any attempt to alter the Constitution, especially when shrouded in secrecy and lacking genuine public participation, raises serious concerns about its true motives.”

“Instead of wasting time and resources on amending the Constitution, the government should prioritize measures to eradicate corruption and ensure the efficient and effective delivery of basic social services to our people,” said the bishop.

According to Bagaforo, charter change “is not a silver bullet for the Philippines’ economic woes, particularly the pervasive issue of corruption.”

“The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has always taught that ‘If the Constitution is to be revised at all, the process should lead to a greater defense and promotion of the moral values of human dignity and human rights, integrity and truth, participation and solidarity, and the common good,” he said.
(RONALD O. REYES)

NAVAL, Biliran– An agriculturist in a town in Biliran has suggested that farmers in the province should plant crops that do not require a considerable amount of water, such as corn and root crops, and use improvised water impounding systems as a countermeasure to the expected dry spell caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon.

Brian Sinangote, the municipal agriculturist of Almeria town, suggested during a recent joint meeting of the Provincial Development Council, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, and the Committee on Solid Waste Management, which was convened to discuss measures that the province will adopt to mitigate the effects of El Niño.

Sofronio B. Dacillo, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer (PDRRMO) of Biliran, reported that according to the Climate Outlook report, several provinces in Luzon have already experienced drought, while most provinces, including Biliran, are currently facing dry conditions.

In said report, a place under dry conditions is experiencing below-normal rainfall conditions for two consecutive months; dry spell-below normal rainfall conditions for three consecutive months or way below normal rainfall conditions for two consecutive months; and drought-below normal rainfall conditions for five consecutive months or way below rainfall conditions for three consecutive months.

Julia Sandiford, the provincial agriculturist of Biliran, urged community leaders to assist the Office of the Provincial Agricultural Services in promoting measures to mitigate the impact of the dry conditions that Biliran is currently experiencing.

The general manager of the Naval Water District (NWD), Eulalio G. Maderazo, clarified that water scarcity is a problem in Naval town and other parts of the country. He has appealed for understanding from the water concessionaires in Naval, as there has been a 50 percent drop in the water supply in the town.

He appealed to Gov. Gerard Roger M. Espina to provide financial support to NWD. The water district cannot implement its proposed projects worth P16 million to improve the water supply. This is due to the P35 million loan that the water district took, and he has been paying amortization and penalties since he assumed the top post of the NWD.

During the meeting, the provincial government allocated a budget of P5.3 million for installing waterworks pipes under the Investment Plan for DRRM Trust Fund 2024 to improve the potable water supply.

Naval Mayor Gretchen Stephanie M. Espina reported that the LGU of Naval has allocated an additional P1.5 million to enhance the water supply in the Naval town.

Dr. Joyce Pla-Caneja, the chief of Biliran Provincial Hospital (BPH), reported that the BPH is now taking steps to address the critical water supply situation of NWD, which significantly affects the hospital’s operation.

One of the short-term steps of the BPH is to set up temporary tanks in identified areas in Naval, Almeria, or Kawayan that have sources of fresh water and provide water bladders.

As for the long-term steps, the BPH plans to purchase five additional reserve tanks with a capacity of 3,500 liters and five sets of 200-liter PVC drums and rehabilitate the existing deep well line. (AAC/RSV/PIA Biliran)