Gonzales

Pampanga solon files ‘Cha-cha’ resolution

July 1, 2022 Ryan Ponce Pacpaco 358 views

PAMPANGA Representative Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. on Friday filed a resolution seeking changes in the Constitution, including fixing a five-year term with one reelection for the President instead of the present one term of six years.

Under Resolution of Both Houses (of Congress) No. 1, Gonzales also proposes the same “five-year stay” in office for the Vice President with one reelection.

The present Constitution sets the term of office of the Vice President at six years with one reelection.

Gonzales is also proposing “tandem voting”, under which a vote for the President would be a vote for the Vice President belonging to the same political party.

For members of the House of Representatives and local officials, the Pampanga lawmaker suggests five years with one reelection instead of the current three years with two reelections.

In filing his Charter change (Cha-cha) resolution, Gonzales invoked the overwhelming electoral mandate received last May 9 by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio.

He said the President garnered 31,629,783 votes representing 58.77% of total votes cast, while the Vice President was credited with 32,208,417 votes, or 61.53% of total ballots cast.

“This clear majority mandate of our new President and Vice President would be the green light from our citizenry to proceed to the discussion on Charter change,” he said.

He said the start of a new administration is an opportune time for the people, through their elected representatives, to revisit the 1987 Constitution.

“It has been 35 years, 12 Congresses, seven presidencies, and 12 local elections since the Charter was ratified,” he added.

In proposing an extended tenure of ten years for the President, Gonzales pointed out that the present single term of six years “appears to be insufficient” for implementing long-term programs and policies.

“We are now on the road to recovery, having more than P12 trillion in national debt due to the COVID-19 pandemic and, most recently, the high prices of fuel due to the Russia-Ukraine war. A long-term solution is wanting; hence, longer-term policy on good and competent leadership should be put in place,” he stressed.

He said the same is true for House members, governors, mayors, and other local officials.

Gonzales is proposing that Cha-cha be effected by Congress constituting itself as a constituent assembly, which he said is the most expeditious and inexpensive way of proposing amendments to the Constitution.

The Pampanga lawmaker’s resolution restates a provision in the Constitution “banning” the incumbent President and previous presidents from seeking the highest office again.

However, it would expand such a ban to include any other elective office.

Gonzales filed the same resolution in the last Congress, which failed to act on it.

In the Senate, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian had introduced a resolution proposing tandem voting for the President and Vice President.

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