Malacanang is pushing for a full-blown national debate on the constitutional change initiative to get a feel of the Filipinos’ views and sentiments toward the proposal that is expected to pave the way for wide-ranging changes in existing social, political and economic policies and place the country in a better position to address the challenges of the new millennium.

The sooner the "great debate" on Charter Change (Cha-Cha) gets fully under way, the better will the people be enlightened on the various issues at stake in the proposed shift from presidential-unitary to parliamentary-federal form of government, Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye said.

He expressed confidence that the ensuing debates on constitutional amendments would lead to a deeper public awareness and knowledge of the imperatives of the proposal, and engender public support for Cha-Cha.

The Philippines is the only country in Asia still under the presidential form of government. Partly because of this, the Philippines has lagged behind its Asian neighbors which have shifted to the parliamentary system, Bunye said.

Under the parliamentary setup, the functions of the Executive and Legislative branches of government are exercised by one body, resulting to faster law-making and policy implementation, he added.

The Consultative Commission (Con-Com), which was created by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to propose changes to the 1987 Constitution, is mandated to submit its final report to Malacanang on Dec. 15, 2005.

Dr. Jose Abueva, Con-Com chairman, said members of the commission are going around the country to consult and invite the people to participate actively in the Charter change process.

Stressing the importance of seeking out the views of the people, Abueva said this would give the proposed amendments a better chance to be approved in the plebiscite. Amending the Constitution is not the "exclusive task of Congress although it is their mandate. In the end, however, it is the people who will decide," he said.

Con-Com Secretary General Lito Lorenzana added that consultations are essential to give the commission proper guidance on what the people really want.

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The government has targeted the development of an additional 1.35 million hectares to be planted to coconut trees over the next five years to further strengthen the country’s dominance of the global coco oil export.

The new plantations will bring to 4.608 million hectares the area planted to coconut trees nationwide, Agriculture Secretary Domingo Panganiban reported to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the Cabinet Saturday.

The Philippines corners 57.48 percent of the global market for coco oil.

The best performing agricultural commodity, coco products account for 37.23 percent of the Philippines’ total export.

Coconut exports have made a strong rebound from years of severe slump blamed on the soyabean and palm oil lobby which falsely labeled coco products, particularly oil, as containing properties hazardous to health.

The President has earmarked P300 million for the coconut sector -- P200 million of which will fund the coconut intercropping program, while the balance of P100 million will finance the planting and reproduction of coconut trees.

Panganiban said that under the intercropping program, about 700,000 hectares of cocoland will be intercropped with high value crops.

At present, 331 million trees in the 3.258 million hectares planted to coconuts are fruit-bearing.

The expansion of the area planted to coconut trees and the introduction of new coco farming methods will greatly help realize the President’s goal of creating 10 million jobs by 2010 under her 10-point legacy agenda.

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