(UPDATE) ALBAY 2nd District Rep. Jose Ma. Clemente "Joey" Salceda on Wednesday said that the required number of signatures to allow Charter change (Cha-cha) through a people's initiative has been reached.

The 1987 Constitution permits citizens to propose amendments to the charter by means of a petition of at least 12 percent of registered voters, of which every legislative district is represented by a minimum of 3 percent of registered voters therein.

ON CHARTER CHANGE Lawyer Evaristo Gana, Commission on Elections Chairman George Erwin Garcia, and National Lead Convenor of People's Initiative for Reform Modernization and Action Noel Oñate discuss Peoples Initiative at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024. PHOTO BY MIKE ALQUINTO

Salceda said in a radio interview that the number of signatures has reached 12.1 percent.

"Well, it is just being finalized... and, of course, the request for validation by the Comelec (Commission on Elections) is the necessary next step," he said.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said that as of Wednesday, January 24, the number of legislative districts with election officer (EO) certification has reached 187, and 1,010 certifications for cities and municipalities.

There are 254 legislative districts, 149 cities and 1,485 municipalities.

Garcia said that Comelec offices will continue to accept signature pages despite calls from individuals and groups to stop accepting the documents, as no formal petition has been filed.

The official assured the public that the Comelec will ensure that the verification of signatures will be done correctly if people's initiative prospers.

Garcia said it is easy to count the signatures because each page has only 10 signatures.

He said that the Comelec en banc will not interfere with the verification process because this is the task of local Comelec offices.

"If there are complaints about signatures, if you want to withdraw your signature, you should bring it to the local Comelec," he said.

Senators issued a statement against the people's initiative on Tuesday, saying that they respect the people as their sovereign but warned against any "underhanded" attempt to amend the Constitution by exploiting the democratic process under the guise of a people's initiative.

House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Tuesday said the House does not favor direct involvement by lawmakers in getting signatures for Cha-cha.

"In response to the discourse surrounding the people's initiative, I wish to restate the House of Representatives' commitment to this essential democratic process. The people's initiative stands as a direct expression of the people's will, providing a means for citizens to propose constitutional amendments. The House does not endorse or sanction direct participation by its members in signature gathering, ensuring the process's integrity and independence remains intact," Romualdez said.

He denied ordering signatures to be gathered for Cha-cha through people's initiative.

"While the House respects and supports the people's initiative as an independent, citizen-driven process, our role is to facilitate and encourage democratic participation without direct involvement in signature collection. We are committed to ensuring that proposals are processed in accordance with legal and constitutional guidelines, maintaining the integrity of our Constitution in subsequent legislative actions," he added.

Romualdez said the House is committed to providing a transparent and accountable framework to support the people's initiative.

"We are here to support and respect the outcomes of this process, affirming the people's initiative as the purest form of democracy," he said.

Romualdez said that the entry of foreign capital and direct investments is crucial for the Philippine economy.

"It necessitates a reexamination of the Constitution, particularly its economic provisions, to remove growth barriers," he said.

Earlier on Monday, Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa said that a member of the House of Representatives, whom he did not name, told him that Romualdez had a hand in the people's initiative campaign.