Press Release
April 3, 2006

Sen. Jamby Madrigal on the Peoples Initiative and Cha-Cha

Trabaho at hindi cha-cha ang hanap ng tao. Huwag na nilang bilugin ang ulo ng taumbayan o paikutin ang utak natin na parang sayaw! Tama na sa panlilinlang! Instead of using the P3.2 billion budget from the contingency fund for charter change, the amount can instead be used to build schools, health centers and create more jobs.

With a P1 billion budget alone, we can already build 2,667 classrooms. We can also use the other 1 billion to feed two million families who are in poverty. Moreover, instead of also using it to perpetuate Mrs. Arroyo in power, we can use the budget to generate more jobs. According to independent research group-IBON, the average annual unemployment rates has increased from 8.4% in 1990 to 11.2% in 2000 to 11.4% in 2005. And, finally, we can also use the budget to pay off our foreign debt. There is no assurance that charter change will improve the lives of Filipinos, until corruption remains systemic.

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