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Senate rejects people’s initiative: The Senate with its 24 members rejects people’s initiative as a mode for constitutional reform or charter change (Cha-cha). During the plenary session Tuesday, January 23, 2024, Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri said senators had deliberated on the matter for three hours before coming with a formal statement on their position. “We respect and recognize the people as our sovereign, with the right to call for constitutional amendments. This so-called 'people’s' initiative (PI) proposes only one change: In acting as a constituent assembly, the Senate and the House shall vote jointly,” Zubiri said. By doing so, he said the Senate with its 24 members could not cast any meaningful vote against the 316 members of the House of Representatives. “To allow joint voting will destroy the delicate balance on which our hard-won democracy rests. It will destabilize the principle of bicameralism and our system of checks and balances,” Zubiri stressed. According to the Senate President, the Senate would be rendered powerless to stop radical proposals such as protecting the country’s lands from foreign ownership or the removal of term limits or a no election scenario in the national and local elections in 2025 or even worse, in the Presidential election in 2028. (Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB)