People’s initiative: Our passport to a new Philippines

AMONG the many innovations in the 1987 Philippine Constitution, one facet of the fundamental law stands out among the rest, and this is the right given to the people through people’s initiative – (1) in the amendatory process of the Constitution (Article XVII, Section 2), and (2) in directly proposing and enacting laws or approving or rejecting any act or law (Article VI, Section 32).

Thus was approved by Congress on August 4, 1989, some two years after the ratification of the Constitution, RA 6735 or “An Act Providing for a System of Initiative and Referendum and Appropriating Funds Therefor.” In it are three systems of initiative: (1) initiative on the Constitution, which refers to a petition proposing amendments to the Constitution; (2) initiative on statutes, which refers to a petition proposing to enact a national legislation; and (3) initiative on local legislation, which refers to a petition proposing to enact a regional, provincial, city, municipal, or barangay law, resolution or ordinance.