The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines
(CEAP), a national association of catholic educational institution in the Philippines
“With the limited number of days left before Congress
adjourns, we urge our lawmakers to heed the command of our Constitution. Give
to the autonomous regions what is guaranteed them. Do not take away what has
already been granted by existing laws,” the CEAP said in a statement Wednesday.
Founded in 1941, CEAP now has 1,252 member institutions,
which include universities and colleges offering academic and continuing
education programs that are at par with foreign schools in the USA and Europe .
The CEAP stressed the two replacement versions of the draft
BBL in the two Houses of Congress take back what have been granted by the
Charter to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
The association of catholic schools stressed that “an
organic law for genuine political autonomy in Muslim Mindanao as mandated by
the Constitution is nearly three decades overdue.”
“The BLBAR is unconstitutional. Pass a BBL that implements
the Constitution and enjoy the approval of the Bangsamoro people,” CEAP said.
Pending before the House of Representatives is House Bill
5811 authored by Cagayan Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, while Senator Ferdinand Marcos
Jr had his own version, Senate Bill No. 2894, replacing SB No. 2408 filed on
Sept. 15, 2014 by Senate President Franklin Drilon and co-authored by 10 other
senators.
“What has been mandated by the Constitution and granted to
the ARMM, the BLBAR (especially the Senate version) is taken back. . What has
been clearly expressed in the 1987 Constitution, the BLBAR now circumvents,”
the CEAP said in a statement endorsed by Orlando Cardinal Quevedo and 26 civil
society organizations.
The CEAP added: “This is clearly contrary to the intent of
granting authentic self-governance to an autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao.”
In claiming BLBAR as unconstitutional, CEAP said both
versions failed to provide what the Constitution mandates in Sec. 20 Art. X.
CEAP said lawmakers pushing for their own versions of the
BBL practically took away the powers and functions granted to the existing ARMM,
thereby reducing its proposed substitute Bangsamoro entity similar to an
ordinary local government unit.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=818422
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