More than 100 organizations and individuals under the No to Chacha Network gathered on February 15 to oppose the Marcos regime’s plan to amend the 1987 Constitution (charter change or chacha), through any form. They also announced the commemoration of the 38th year of the EDSA Uprising, which they say gave birth to the constitution.

The groups are against attempts to amend the constitution either through a bogus people’s initiative or constituent assembly. They say these attempts are “unnecessary, divisive, costly, and focused mainly on keeping those in power in place.”

Instead of working for chacha, the groups and individuals called for officials to focus on raising wages and income, lowering the prices of goods and basic utilities, providing social services, curbing corruption and red tape, promoting human rights, justice and peace, defending sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, protecting the environment and ensuring clean and credible elections.

National-democratic organizations, Makabayan bloc congressmen, 1Sambayan members, former government officials, church people, student groups, teachers, other labor groups and many others attended the gathering. Justice Antonio Carpio, Commissioner Rene Sarmiento, Bishop Gerardo A. Alminaza, Atty. Neri Colmenares, Sr. Mary John Mananzan, former DSWD Sec. Judy Taguiwalo, Gerardo Alminaza, chairman of One Negros Ecumenical Council (ONE-C) and bishop of San Carlos City and many others were also there.

Former senator Kiko Pangilinan, Atty. Lutgardo Barbo of PDP Laban and the office of Sen. Koko Pimentel, Fr. Daniel Franklin Pilario, president of Adamson University, Dr. Noel Leyco, former president of the Manila City University, and Diwa Guinigundo, former deputy governor of the Central Bank of the Philippines signed the unified declaration.

Meanwhile, various groups launched widespread activities to oppose chacha over the past month.

In Bacolod City, church people and democratic organizations led by ONE-C gathered on February 10 to launch a broad campaign against chacha. On February 8, various individuals in Davao City joined the Way Chacha (No Chacha) alliance. Various organizations also launched the No To Charter Change Coalition-Panay in Iloilo City on February 20.

On Valentine’s Day, farmers and women’s groups marched to Mendiola against the Rice Liberalization Law. Their call: food on the table, not cha-cha!

On February 16, youth and students in the University Belt marched in Manila to oppose the commercialization of education and the Marcos regime’s pro-foreign chacha. National-democratic youth groups gathered at the University of Santo Tomas in España and marched to the Far Eastern University campus in Morayta. They insist chacha will allow full foreign ownership of the operation of education which will cause greater burden on the youth.

On the same day, workers gathered at the EDSA Shrine raising the slogan “higher wages, not chacha.” Earlier, they launched an action before the Senate in time with the hearing on the ₱100 salary increase bill filed before it.