Robredo urges gov’t to focus on COVID-19, not charter change

Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday urged government officials to focus on combating the threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) instead of pushing for constitutional reforms amid the pandemic.

In her weekly radio show, Robredo noted that the government was too distracted by other matters such as the shutdown of broadcast network ABS-CBN and the Anti-Terror Law to focus on addressing COVID-19.

League of Municipalities of the Philippines National President and Narvacan, Ilocos Sur Mayor Chavit Singson earlier bared that 1,488 mayors will campaign for the Duterte administration’s push for charter change to empower local authorities.

“Dapat iyong parati natin ditong target, ang tinututukan natin ngayon, lahat na makakatulong para mahinto na itong COVID transmission dito sa atin. Tingin ko itong charter change hindi iyong dahilan,” she said.

“Kapag mag-charter change tayo, kailangan iyan ng referendum. Kung doon nakatuon iyong atensyon ng lahat, hindi dito sa COVID-19— Iyong gagastusin natin para sa charter change, sana gastusin na lang natin sa testing kits, gastusin natin sa mga ospital na ngayon ay isa-isa nang nagiging puno,” she added.

Instead of pursuing constitutional reform amid the pandemic, Robredo vouched for a better representation of local government units in the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) Against Emerging Infectious Diseases.

“Ang suggestion ko dito, sana sa IATF may representative iyong league of barangays, municipalities, cities, saka provinces, para parating may boses iyong mga local government units. May boses sa pagsulong,” she said.

“Ako, kung gustong pag-usapan iyong charter change, e ‘di pag-usapan—pero huwag naman sana sa panahon ngayon. Huwag naman sana sa panahon ngayon.” — DVM, GMA News