Con-Con in the Philippines: A Complex Path to Constitutional Change

In the Philippines, the term "con-con" refers to a constitutional convention, which is a process for amending or revising the country's constitution. The idea of a con-con is to gather delegates from various sectors of society to discuss and propose changes to the current constitution.

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When there is a perceived need to address urgent issues or when the current constitution is viewed as insufficient or out of date, a con-con is necessary. The nation's first-ever constitutional convention took place in 1971, and that was the situation.

The 1971 Constitutional Convention was called by then-President Ferdinand Marcos to revise the 1935 Constitution. The delegates were elected by the people and represented various sectors, including political parties, religious groups, labor unions, and business organizations.

Because it took place under the Marcos dictatorship, the 1971 Con-Con was very divisive. Many of the delegates were either Marcos' picks for the positions or were allies of the government. As a result, accusations of vote buying, intimidation, and fraud surfaced, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the convention and the final constitution.

The 1987 Constitution, which is the current constitution of the Philippines, was also the product of a con-con. This time, the convention was called by then-President Corazon Aquino after the People Power Revolution that ousted Marcos from power.

The 1987 Con-Con was regarded as being more legitimate than the one before it since it was run by a democratic government and the delegates were chosen in a more open election process. In addition to indigenous peoples, women, and youth organizations, the delegates included representatives from many different sectors.

The resulting 1987 Constitution was a significant departure from the previous constitutions. It included provisions for the protection of human rights, the decentralization of government power, and the promotion of social justice. It also limited the powers of the president and established an independent judiciary.

Since the 1987 Constitution, there have been calls for another con-con to address various issues, such as federalism, term limits, and the role of foreign ownership in the economy. However, the process of calling a con-con is a lengthy and complicated one, and there are concerns about the cost, legitimacy, and representation of the delegates.

A con-con is a procedure for changing or updating the nation's constitution. There have been two constitutional conventions in the history of the Philippines, with the 1987 Con-Con being more valid than the 1971 Con-Con. There have been calls for another con-con, but the procedure is difficult, and there are issues with its legality and representation.