*Among Ed Panlilio (Governor,
Province of Pampanga)
Ours is a republican democracy where sovereignty resides in and all
government authority and power emanate from the people. With the highly
questionable passage of House Resolution 1109 and its far-reaching
effects should it continue to be pursued by its proponents in the
Lower House, pro-con-ass legislators and their patrons in Malacanang
will not only cause to sow further disunity, fan the flame of unrest
and deepen the mistrust of our people in government. Pro-con-ass legislators
will be betraying our people's desire to have a government that is
more responsive to their needs. Especially at a time when we find
our Motherland in a crisis as we do today does she deserve the best
from all of us. Our people have been robbed from enough already.
As elected officials, we have an obligation to our people to fight
for their true sentiments and beliefs. It cannot be helped that doubts
surrounding the passage of House Resolution 1109 which include extending
the term of elective officials for an indefinite period to anticipate
the birth of a parliamentary form of government eleven months shy
of the upcoming National and Local Elections, reinforce the notion
that the people have been silenced and forgotten by those who govern.
And it is time that we restore the people’s faith and trust
in its leaders.
I join the rest of our nation in urging all our lawmakers to be the
voice of the people in the government – abandon personal interest
and cast patronage ambition aside. And to our countrymen and women,
I enjoin you all to continue to remain vigilant and oppose any and
all efforts to change the fundamental law of the land before the 2010
Elections, especially if done through a manner that seeks only to
undermine our democratic and political institutions and betray our
authentic will as a people.
Change is coming to the Philippines and we should not allow for unscrupulous
forces to stand in its way and force their selfish motives on us.
I continue to believe in the innate goodness of the Filipino and it
is my hope that the members of the House will be convinced to leave
constitutional revision to a future Constitutional Convention. “May
bukas pa!” as Father Joaquin Bernas, S.J. and the little boy
Santino say. Huwag naman po sana natin itong ipagkait sa ating mga
kababayang naghahangad ng mabuting kinabukasan at pagbabago sa ating
lipunan! Ang higit na nakataya rito ay ang kinabukasan ng milyon-milyon
nating kababayang mahihirap, silang walang lupa, trabaho, bahay o
makain man lang. .
GOD BLESSES US ALL IN OUR CRUSADE FOR GOD-CENTERED GOOD AND HONEST
GOVERNANCE!