Catholic schools rally against charter change moves

An association of Catholic schools is opposing the supposed “people’s initiative” to tweak the country’s Constitution.

Echoing the stance of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) said that the efforts to amend the charter lack transparency.

It deplored the “surreptitious” signature campaign allegedly involving bribery and other illegal activities as a means to pursue charter change.

“This so-called ‘People’s Initiative’ is a clear deception against the Filipino people and a brazen insult to the bedrock of our democracy,” CEAP said.

“CEAP vehemently opposes any initiative to change the constitution for self-preservation and perpetuation of political leaders,” it added.

Instead of revising the 1987 Constitution, the association called on lawmakers to implement it if only to solve the economic and social ills of the country.

“We did not vote for them to change the Constitution but to uphold it,” said CEAP.

It also believes that charter change is unnecessary since the country’s problems, particularly on corruption, cannot be blamed on the Constitution.

“We should not get distracted by what corrupt political leaders want us to believe,” CEAP stressed.

“They may employ euphemisms and sugarcoat their statements, but the truth will not be denied: they are the beneficiaries of the proposed Charter Change and never the Filipino citizens,” it added.

Catholic bishops earlier warned the public against falling for the “deceptive” attempts for charter change.

The CEAP also assured it would help guide the public on the matter as part of its mission and advocacy.

“We cannot remain passive when the common good and the foundations of our democracy are in jeopardy,” it said. (CBCP News)

A version of this article was first published by CBCP News.