GMA asks Central Luzon barangay leaders to back Cha-cha

President Arroyo rallied barangay leaders in Central Luzon yesterday to support her administration’s initiative for Charter change, saying this would end the political bickering that is dragging the country down.

Mrs. Arroyo said the people should realize now is the time to change the political system in the country and empower the people.

She said the Philippines’ degenerated political system only shows the need to switch the country’s presidential form of government to a federal parliamentary system.

"Let us unite to correct the political system. Let us put more power, more capacity, more wealth in the hands of the people," she said in her address before the first Regional Congress of the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Region 3 at the Expo Filipino, located in the Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga, her home province.

"The continuing skirmishes, struggle and misunderstanding (among political parties) only prove that the current system needs to be changed. I want the important discussion on this to begin in the barangays… More than anyone, you will be the ones to benefit from the change in the political system," the President added.

Mrs. Arroyo vowed to push through with the second phase of her reforms, including economic and political changes. After pressing for the passage of new taxes, the President said she would now focus on using fresh revenues from the levies to improve social services, invest in infrastructure and create jobs for the people.

She has also created a consultative commission to study the possible amendments to the Charter and help Congress speed up the process.

"We are already on the second phase of our economic reforms. What is this second phase of reform? It demands double the energy, double the discipline, double the result to succeed at the time when we are held back by the constraints in the global environment and we are held back by such a degenerated political system," she said.

The President called on the local officials attending the conference to "work together in reforming the political system. Let us put more power, more capacity, more will and resources in the hands of the people."

About 15,000 barangay officials from the seven provinces of Pampanga, Aurora, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Bataan and Zambales attended the regional congress. — Aurea Calica