Transcript of Interview: Senator Risa Hontiveros with Karen Davila on ANC's Headstart

Q: There's so many things to talk about when it comes to charter change, right? So let's start first with what Rep. Joey Salceda said. He said a people's initiative is inevitable. They will get the signatures. Do you agree?

Senator Risa Hontiveros (SRH): In the first place, people's initiative, ba talaga yan? It's misleading to call any initiative a people's initiative kung hindi naman talaga ang taong bayan, yung mga kababayan natin, ang may pakana. But until this day, the complete cast of characters behind those forms that are being distributed, even behind the advertisement that came out. When those forms went out in the different localities, ayaw pa rin magpakilala. They're hiding behind a law firm. Is that what you call a people's initiative?

Add to that reports na binabayaran, 'di umano ng P100, ang bawat pirma na kinukuha sa ating mga kababayan. So how cynical is that? A way to propel a so-called people's initiative. Kung yung vote-buying na pinoproblema natin tuwing eleksyon ay ginagawa, 'di umano, pati sa ganitong political exercise in between elections. And for such an important topic as amending the very basic law of the land.

I think kung pagbabatayan natin yung reaksyon ng mga kababayan natin, just for example on social media, when this people's initiative came out, I don't think anyone should be overconfident na sure win na 'yang people's initiative nila. I remember the very widespread and strong reaction against such a move.

Q: Okay. You know, Representative Lagman alleged, right, that a hundred pesos was being given for signatures. I believe that was in the Bicol region. And he claimed that some mayors returned the money. And I spoke with Representative Garbin, and he said there was, there was no such funding that was being spread. Do you have information on this? I mean, do you believe it?

SRH: I think it's very possible, Karen, because when that ad came out, when the news came out about the forms being distributed at nagkakalap nga ng mga pirma, and this was in different areas, no, from Mindanao to the Visayas to Luzon. Yung iba dyan talagang may kasamang kwento na, binabayaran yung mga pirmang iyon. And there were later reports that a substantial amount of money has actually been spent already and is still being spent, I think even as we speak, to collect those signatures. So there's really a political push behind this, and they're putting their money where their mouth is.

Q: Okay. Now, it seems that so many administrations have tried, right, to change the Charter. But this particular administration, I'm sensing that there seems to be, there seems to be fuel to it. Okay. There seems to be a push. Just recently, you now have the Senate President asking a committee in the Senate to review the economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution, with Senator Angara being assigned to head the committee. That's never happened, right? I mean in the past administrations it's never gotten this far that it's received the support of the Senate President, I believe. First are you open to any changes in the charter, senator?

SRH: Not right now, Karen. Hindi naman iyan ang kailangan ng tao. And when I say tao, yung mga kababayan natin have said so explicitly. Kahit sa mga recent surveys, kapag ang tanong ay anong kailangan, hindi lang ng bayan natin, pero ano ang kailangan ng pamilya niyo, never ang sagot ay ChaCha. Malinaw ang totoong mga sagot.

If we say there's so much to talk about in charter change there's so much else to talk about. Mismong mga Pilipino na ang nagsasabi. Ano ang top issues nila? Presyo ng mga pagkain at ibang bilihin, ibaba. Yung sweldo at sahod ng working people, itaas. Yung korapsyon, sugpuin. Tugunan yung pangbu-bully ng Tsina sa West Philippine Sea. Magkaroon talaga ng gobyerno na responsive at responsable.

Where there is charter change? That's not what people say that we need, that's not what we are asking for.

Kaya kahit yung subject ng people's initiative yung orig na pakana nila na to compel Congress to vote jointly on charter change effectively diluting and threatening abolition of the Senate whose members we were elected nationally at pahihinain talaga yung checks and balances in our political system.

And you know with all due respect even now, in the Resolution of Both Houses filed in the Senate, with all due respect to my colleagues, in the first place hindi kailangan na lalong paluwagin, i-liberalize yung economic provisions ng Constitution, we have in fact, Congress has in fact been doing that already through legislation.

Witness yung Retail Trade Liberalization Act, yung Public Service Act, yung Foreign Investments Act that's already being done. And to try to do that now through the basic law of the land, the Constitution, kung kailan hindi naman yan ang kinakailangan ng ating bayan, and opening the floodgates to further amendments to the basic law, and yun na nga, to the laws in those specific industries, advertising, education, public utilities, slippery slope talaga yan.

Q: Okay. So, I mean, I'll ask you about that. There was a study made that the Philippine Constitution was one of the most restrictive in Asia. That's a study. So, the Public Service Act, there were amendments to that law, but there are petitions before the Supreme Court right now asking if it's legal to actually make a law to amend something so clear in the Constitution.

So, with the Public Service Amendments Act, industries like, I believe, railway, telecoms, from utilities, under the law, it's been redefined as services, 'di ba, which makes it legal for it to be 100% owned. That's being questioned in the Supreme Court right now. So, you have advocates saying, how could a foreign investor want to come in if there are petitions pending before the Supreme Court? So, someone said, it is not enough. Laws are not enough to amend something so clear in the Constitution when it comes to foreign ownership and participation on businesses. Your thoughts?

SRH: Well, we're waiting to hear the Supreme Court's opinion on that dahil dinala nga sa kanila yung batas na ito. But as for what is needed, actually, to bring in more foreign direct investments, eh yung mga Foreign Chambers of Commerce dito sa Pilipinas have spoken to that question already repeatedly, their own surveys and studies as well. At hindi lumalabas sa kanila na major problem restrictions on 100% foreign ownership.

Ano yung top of mind sa studies at surveys nila? It's the policies, the predictability of policies in the Philippines, equal application of the law, elimination of graft and corruption, and of red tape. The price of doing business here and ease of doing business, the price of energy, etc.

So, there's so much more that not just the legislature, but the executive can also do to make our business and economic environment more conducive. Hindi lang sa mga domestic investors, to whom tingin ko, bilang Pilipino dapat naman may premium, but also to foreign direct investors. Palakasin din natin yung kumpyansa ng mga foreign investors sa business environment dito. At isa na doon is to reduce the instability, which, ironically, for the ChaCha advocates, ChaCha itself instigates.

Q: Now, what are your thoughts? Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri is getting criticism for changing his tone to the point he said he's going to resign if political provisions are suddenly inserted in Charter Change. Were you surprised? Were you surprised that he changed his tone? Apparently, the President intervened during a heated discussion between him and Speaker Martin Romualdez. And the President said, let the Senate take charge when it comes to economic provisions. Did you see this coming? What are your thoughts on Senate President Zubiri, in a way, dancing to a different tune now, as some have said?

SRH: Well, in fairness to the Senate president, I don't recall naman na dati sinabi niya kontra siya sa amendments sa economic provisions. Well certainly, this one I'm sure of, in the recent debates on those recent laws na pinag usapan natin, amending by legislation certain constitutional provisions on the economy, hindi naman siya humadlang, in fact he supported those, a few of which I voted no to, pero siya chinampion naman niya. And, of course, statements like, I will resign if something else, something opposite comes in, lagi namang prerogative yan ng sinumang lider ng sinumang institusyon. Para sa akin pinaghahandaan ko talaga debates on this in the Senate because I have very strong views against it.

Minority leader and I are together in the minority. And I would also, with all due respect, caution my colleagues. Sa pakiramdam ko meron din naman kaming mga kasama sa majority na meron ding mga reservations and I think these should all be heard. Sayang lang sa pag-resume namin ng session sa Lunes, sa halip na full steam ahead sa mga kinakailangang legislative work, especially on the economic issues that are the most important and urgent now, ngayon, magsasayang pa ng enerhiya sa cha-cha na yan.

Q: Okay. All right. But then, if it does push through, right, let's put it to a situation that it will push through. Would you prefer a people's initiative or voting by constituent assembly but separate voting? Let me ask you that. If it's the economic provisions, should it still be a people's initiative that moves into a plebiscite or just vote constituent assembly, separate voting?

SRH: Neither. Actually, sa Konstitusyon din, may pangatlong mode of amending itself, which is the CONCON. Anytime, I think, among the three, kapag totoong kailangan, which is not the case now, for Chacha, CONCON is the best mode. Pero ngayon, January 2024, I would still say NO to Chacha, even by any mode, even by my preferred CONCON mode, dahil hindi yun ang kailangan sa ngayon.

Q: So that means, Senator, that if it does push through, you will not participate in the amendment, in the amendments itself?

SRH: Well, kapag dineliberate namin sa plenary, I presume it will still go through a period of interpellation and a period of amendments. So magiging active talaga ako doon to raise the questions in interpellation. Why not Chacha on any subject by any mode at this time? Dahil hindi yan ang kailangan ng tao and also in the period of amendments. But I think the jury, they're still out. Kung talagang may sapat na bilang sila to approve it, even in our house, I still believe, we have a fighting chance to stop this unnecessary and dangerous Chacha at this point in time.

Q: Okay. Is it true that nalusutan daw ang Senado na pasukan ng pondo exactly for a plebiscite and the people's initiative? That's what, Senator Imee Marcos said, I think, a few days ago, na may pondong napasok sa budget.

SRH: I appreciate the important issues that na nireraise ng colleague ko na iyon surrounding this Chacha. But about that particular issue, interesante yung sinabi ng Comelec Chair Garcia na ang pondong iyon daw ay para sa mga susunod na eleksyon at hindi para sa anumang plebesito.

So that's how I, yes, understand the Chair, not necessarily for a plebiscite. And if I and my minority leader and any colleagues in the majority would have our way, hindi talaga aabot sa plebisito. Let's use those, the funds provided for in the GAA 2025, doon sa talagang kinakailangan, hindi lang yung mga eleksyon na susunod pero yung economic, top of the list talaga, economic needs ng ating mga kababayan.

Q: Let's now move to, to the situation right now with China and the Philippines. I want to ask you first, the Philippines adheres to a one-China policy diplomatically. President Marcos Jr. congratulates the newly installed leader of Taiwan. Your thoughts on that? Diplomatically, should he have done that? Did that break the one China policy?

SRH: Well, first of all, the one China policy was articulated and has been implemented by the Executive of our government. Hindi siya provided for by law. Kaya, I'm happy na ino-optimize, minamaximize namin sa Kongreso, partikular sa Senado, lalo na kami yung treaty-making body of speaking at important moments to foreign policy issues, including this one, kaya't nga't one of our most recent unanimous resolutions was calling on government to speak precisely about the West Philippine Sea issues, of course, involving China, also, sa lahat ng international fora and through all means.

It was a pleasant surprise, honestly, for me, to hear the president congratulating the newly elected Taiwanese president. Ako nga yung statement ay congratulating the Taiwanese people. So, siguro, from the policy perspective, para sa akin, an important clarification might be sa loob ng executive mismo. Kasi yung presidente naman diba architect of foreign policy, may ganong pagbati sa iba pang lider sa rehiyon sa mundo, and then, the Department of Foreign Affairs also speaking about it.

So, importante para sa kanila to get their act together on this point and sing the same tune. But, I took the opportunity to repeat my call earlier to the executive, na i-review narin kaya nila ang foreign policy vis-a-vis the People's Republic of China. Review yang One China policy, especially in the light of yung ating sariling dynamics with China in the West Philippine Sea. And the fact that Taiwan, among other countries and peoples in our region, ay impacted nitong aggressive actions ng Tsina sa karagatan natin.

Q: But you have many countries, I believe it was mentioned that Singapore, for example, they adhere to the One China policy, but the Singaporean leader also congratulated Taiwan, but they didn't receive this kind of backlash from China, right? I mean, you have the Chinese spokesperson, an expert said, insulting the president at one point, saying he has to read more. I mean, it's gotten to this point. What are your thoughts on this?

SRH: Alam mo, kahit oposisyon ako, bilang Pilipino, naiinsulto ako sa ganyan. Kapag sinabi ng isang foreign ministry spokesperson sa presidente ng bansa natin ang ganyan. And tulad nung when they were warning us about how to speak, how to act, and how not to, ang reaksyon ko talaga bilang Pilipino at policymaker, excuse me, wala kayong K na manduhan kami how we are, how to speak and act about our own national interest in these waters.

It's important for us to keep trying to put the giant in our neighborhood in her place. And sana lumakas ang loob natin lalo dahil well, China probably thinks we are the weak link in the region. She doesn't speak to us or to our leaders the same way she would speak, say, to the Singaporean.

Q: Even other ASEAN countries.

SRH: Right. She doesn't speak that way to them, kahit may tensions ding matindi sa karagatan nila. So I'm just glad that in the past year and a half, foreign policy from the executive has clearly changed. Dahil the previous six years, ay talagang nagmukha tayong weakest link. So now, the Senate is fully committed, even through that recent unanimous resolution of ours, yung pinagsamang resolusyon ko at ni Senate president.

The president of our country has spoken better and stronger about our national interests in the West Philippine Sea. We've been receiving more and more support from other countries and regional formations in the world. And I hope the private sector in the Philippines can also speak up even more about this. This is one issue, kahit sa surveys lumalabas in the West Philippine Sea, talagang nag uunite sa ating mga Pilipino. And I hope we can push even stronger for this as part of the community of nations.

Q: When you say you think it's time to review the one China policy, just exactly what do you mean by that? Expound on it. If the Philippines does not adhere to the one China policy, what kind of diplomatic relations would we now have?

SRH: That's the very first important step that could be taken, kung mareview at mabago yung One China Policy. For example, is the executive even thinking about renewing formal diplomatic ties with the Taiwanese people and government? Yung kasalukuyang office natin diyan, will it be upgraded to a consulate or even an embassy? So mas magkakaroon na ba ng formal representation tayo when it comes to the, not dead but still alive and thriving economic relations with that people and that government. So magkakaroon ba ng mas conducive environment para sa people to people exchanges? That hasn't stopped anyway. Ang dami parin nating mga kababayang OFWs doon sa Taiwan na maya't maya eh nababahala kung may mga unfriendly noises from China kaugnay ng Pilipinas at ng Taiwan. And of course, the Taiwan situation is always a cause for concern, gusto natin na mag-cool down yung tensions diyan at hindi mag-heat up towards anything approaching the conflicts in other parts of the world.