By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson is in favor of Charter Change (Cha-cha) for as long as it will tinker only on the economic provisions of the Constitution.

“I am for Cha-cha as far as the economic provision is concerned,” he said.

Lacson made the statement as the issue is now being taken up at the senate and the House of Representatives.

Lacson, however, said everytime economic provisions is being introduced for Cha-cha, the issue on politics also comes so it never took off.

“So once and for all let’s just talk about economic provisions and stick to it and I am in favor of that,” he pointed out.

Lacson said there were several attempts in the previous congress to amend the economic provisions of the Constitution but it never took off because of suspicions that they intended to amend the political provisions purposely to extend the term of office of the incumbent officials.

Meanwhile, Negrense businessman Art Aguilar who is one of the members of the Consultative Committee that was tasked by President Rodrigo Duterte to make a draft on the proposed Cha-cha in 2018 said they don’t know what happened to it after they did their jobs.

“Our draft was supposed to be the working basis to start the debate on Cha-cha. But for lack of time, it was not discussed. What is being discussed by congress now is exactly the same on our draft that will remove restrictions on foreigners’ hundred percent ownership of properties in the country.

Aguilar, however, said land ownership should be an exemption because it should only be for Filipinos.

Aguilar further said that on their draft they pushed for a federal form of government to evenly distribute resources and income to the provinces like Negros and not only in Manila or the National Capital Region./DGB, WDJ