P.I. mode of chacha a dangerous national concern – Partido Manggagawa

 

Screengrab of paid TV ad for charter change

“More than wasting government money and buying people’s will, proponents of charter change via the people’s initiative (P.I.) are destroying the essence of direct democracy with the mockery of the P.I. process itself,” stated Partido Manggagawa (PM) in a statement sent to media Wednesday.

 

“We hate to acknowledge the probability that aside from electing officials through fraudulent electoral means, Marcos Jr.'s New Philippines may also get a new Constitution through vote-buying! This is truly a P.I. in commercial terms – a purchased initiative by all indications,” protested the group in reaction to the barrage of information about the well-oiled P.I. campaign orchestrated on the ground in full speed through the LGUs.

 

PM Chair, Renato Magtubo, warned of the dangerous political and social consequences once traditional politicians (trapo) succeeded in raiding the people’s initiative and appropriating that stolen power for selfish political and business end.

 

“If they can easily purchase a new constitution via P.I., then what will prevent them from making another purchase to perpetuate themselves in power,” lamented Magtubo.

 

The labor group called on the people to oppose and stay away from this trapo-led initiative, by demanding government’s decisive actions on the most urgent national concerns expressed by most Filipinos in the latest survey.

 

Published the other day, survey results showed majority of Filipinos were unhappy with the way the Marcos government is addressing the problems of inflation, and nothing indicates charter change to be one of their most urgent national concerns.

 

At the top of Pinoy’s most urgent concern is controlling inflation (72%), increasing the pay of workers (40%), creating more jobs (28%), reducing the poverty of many Filipinos (25%), and fighting graft and corruption (19%).

 

“These results belie what proponents of the people’s initiative would claim as a groundswell of grassroot support for charter change. “Hindi P100 kada pirma kundi mahigit P100 na wage increase at trabaho ang nais ng mga Pilipino,” emphasized Partido Manggagawa (PM) Chair Renato Magtubo.

 

The labor leader, now Marikina City Councilot, pointed out that as Filipinos bid farewell to 2023, they were hopeful for positive changes in 2024 and beyond. He stated, "Nowhere did we hear a clamor for charter change from the grassroots to address the issues highlighted in the survey. What we are certain about is that the initiative is an organized campaign orchestrated from the higher echelons of power." 

PRESS RELEASE

10 January 2024