Various groups and individuals gathered in a forum in Iloilo City on February 20 to launch a coalition in the Panay region to fight the Marcos regime’s charter change or “chacha” scheme. Atty. Neri Colmenares of Bayan Muna Partylist, and Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, acting Jaro Auxiliary Archbishop and bishop of the San Carlos Diocese in Negros Occident attended the gathering and served as the guests of honor.

After the forum, the No to Charter Change Coalition-Panay announced that it will launch a protest on February 25 to commemorate the EDSA Uprising and fight “chacha.” The group says a mass will be held at the Jaro Cathedral in the morning before the march to the Iloilo Provincial Capitol for the protest.

“They are promoting chacha to remove protectionist economics from the Constitution, push for term extension and unicameral legislature, and remove some pro-people provisions from the Constitution,” said Attorney Colmenares. He stressed that the unity of the people of Panay and the whole country is important to stop Marcos’ “chacha”.

Meanwhile, Bishop Alminaza expressed his dream for just and long-lasting peace for the people and he believes “chacha” will not provide this, instead it will further hinder the people from achieving it. He said “chacha” will only intensify the uprising of the masses and even the armed rebellion in the country because it will aggravate the existing roots of the revolution.

He said, these issues include poverty, injustice, inequality, corruption, dynasties and inadequate social services from the local and national government.