SP Zubiri: Honor Malolos Republic, country's historic birth, by respecting constitution

Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri has called on the Filipino people to honor the country's historic beginnings by respecting the Constitution, and that any changes to the country's charter must not be made based on selfish motives and ambitions.

Zubiri made this assertion today as he delivered his message during the 125th Anniversary celebration of the Malolos Republic - the beginnings of the Philippine Republic - where he called for the continued protection of the freedoms fought for during the establishment of the Malolos Republic and the promulgation of the Malolos Constitution.

"Ito ang mga kalayaan na buong-tapang na ipinaglaban ng ating mga ninuno na nagbalangkas ng Malolos Constitution. Kaya anumang pagbabago sa ating Saligang Batas ay dapat dumaan sa malalim na pag-aaral at konsiderasyon, at hindi dapat mag-ugat sa makasariling mga motibo. Kalayaan nating lahat ang nakataya dito," Zubiri declared.

"Anumang gawin natin ngayon para sa sambayanan at sa salinlahi, sana ay kapag binalik-tanawan na tayo ng kasaysayan, ay husgahan tayo bilang tapat na mga lingkod-bayan, na ginawa ang tama para sa taumbayan," the Senate chief added.

The Senate, under the leadership of Zubiri, was designated by President Marcos Jr. to study the proposed amendments to the economic provisions of the Constitution. He and several other senators have rejected the current people's initiative movement to amend the Constitution, which will dilute the role of the Senate in Charter Change efforts.

He said the freedoms enshrined in the Malolos Constitution when it started 125 years ago continue to be protected in the 1987 Constitution.

"Hanggang sa ngayon, protektado sa ating Konstitusyon ang kalayaan na isinulong ng Malolos Republic: kalayaan mula sa panlulupig ng mga pwersa sa loob at labas ng bansa; kalayaan mula sa gutom at kawalang-hustisya; at kalayaan ng bawat Pilipino na magkaroon ng boses sa paghubog ng kinabukasan ng ating bayan," Zubiri expressed.

"Iisa lang ang nasa puso ng mga nagsulat ng Malolos Constitution: na bigyang pundasyon ang ating kalayaan, at bigyang hugis ang isang tapat na pamahalaan. Hindi nila inisip ang sarili nilang kapakanan nang isulat ang dokumentong ito. Hindi nila sinamantala ang kanilang posisyon bilang tagapag-balangkas ng ating unang Konstitusyon," he continued.

Pablo Ocampo Sr., great-grandfather of Zubiri's mother, was himself a member of the Malolos Congress, serving as its secretary.

"We celebrate the Malolos Republic as the birth of our democracy - the birth of our own government, our own republic, founded by a Constitution written by representatives of the people, which enshrines the principle that sovereignty emanates from no one else but the people themselves," Zubiri said during the celebrations.

The senator from Bukidnon stressed that the Malolos Republic, anchored on its Constitution, "built a fair government, truly representative of the people."

"If they had wanted, they could have constitutionalized themselves into limitless power without regard for the voice of the people. As the framers of our first Constitution, no one could have stopped them," Zubiri explained.

"Instead, in the shadow of the Spanish rule and the arrival of the Americans, they chose for the Malolos Republic to be an uncompromising stand for freedom and independence," he added.

"This fairness then paved the way for the democratic government that we enjoy today, with our proud tradition of checks and balances, with all branches of government ensuring that their counterparts remain faithful to their mandate as honest servants of the people."