Prioritize hunger, poverty response over Cha-cha — Binay, Hontiveros

Senators Nancy Binay (left) and Risa Hontiveros (Senate PRIB photo)

MANILA Philippines — Prioritize addressing hunger and poverty instead of pushing for Charter change (Cha-cha), Senators Risa Hontiveros and Nancy Binay said on Tuesday.

In separate statements, the two senators cited the need to provide for the needs of the public, saying that Cha-cha is not timely.

“We should do away with this long-standing tale of make-believe that charter change will solve all our problems. Hindi ‘yan kailangan sa ngayon (that is not necessary as of now),” Hontiveros said.

“Harapin natin ang realidad na (let us face the reality that) inflation, poverty and corruption are the pressing issues that need to be addressed with aggressive political will and focus,” she added.

Hontiveros questioned the “sense of urgency” for Cha-cha but not on issues that burden Filipinos.

“Putting Chacha front and center is just another major distraction, and will only sideline urgent issues. The economy is worsening and the agricultural sector is laden with so much scandal. Redirecting large amounts of our limited resources to charter change at this time will just do more damage,” she said.

Binay took a similar stance and saw no need for the proposed measure as she respected Senator Robin Padilla’s prerogative to hear the House resolution calling for a hybrid constitutional convention (con-con).

“Kung yung concern lang ni Sen. Padilla yung economic provisions, nandyan na ang Public Service Act (PSA), Retail Trade Liberalization Act (RTLA) at Foreign Investments Act (FIA),” Binay pointed out.

(If Sen. Padilla’s concern is only on the economic provisions, we have the PSA, RTLA, and FIA.)

“Mas magandang i-prioritize na ang IRR (implementing rules and regulations) ng mga ito kaysa itulak pa rin natin nang itulak ang Cha-cha sa kabila ng mga krisis na kinahaharap natin,” she continued.

(It’s better to prioritize the IRR of these instead of pushing for Cha-Cha despite the crisis we are facing.)

“Ang dapat nating pag-usapan sana at i-prioritize eh yung mga sagot at solusyon sa ating problema. Sana, unahin natin ang kumakalam sikmura, ‘di Con-Con o Cha-Cha,” Binay added.

(What we should prioritize are answers and solutions to our problems. Let us prioritize addressing poverty and hunger, not Con-con or Cha-Cha.)

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier said that Cha-cha is not a priority of his administration. (Vance Chan, Inquirer.net, trainee)

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