Bukidnon 1st, 3rd and 4th Districts were identified as among the “43 strong” that held off from submitting signatures for the doomed peoples initiative Charter change (Cha-change).

This means that Bukidnon 2nd District is the only district in Bukidnon to have submitted signatures for what Senators have called “fake people’s initiative” or “politician’s initiative.”

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, in a privilege speech delivered Monday, said that only 43 out of 254 legislative districts in the Philippines have veered away and did not participate. Among the “43 strong” were Bukidnon 1st, 3rd and 4th districts.

“Iyan po ang hindi pa nagbibigay ng signatures. We salute all of them for standing strong,” Zubiri said.

Zubiri identified the districts as follows:

National Capital Region

• Manila – 6th Legislative District
• Marikina – 1st and 2nd Legislative Districts
• Valenzuela – 1st and 2nd Legislative Districts
• Parañaque – 1st and 2nd Legislative Districts
• Las Piñas Lone Legislative District
• Malabon Lone Legislative District
• Pasig Lone Legislative District
• San Juan Lone Legislative District
• Taguig Lone Legislative District
• Taguig-Pateros Lone Legislative District

CAR

• Benguet – Lone Legislative District
• Baguio – Lone Legislative District
• Kalinga – Lone Legislative District
• Mountain Province – Lone Legislative District

Region I

• Ilocos Norte – 1st and 2nd Legislative Districts
• Ilocos Sur – 1st and 2nd Legislative Districts
• La Union – 2nd Legislative District

Region III

• Bulacan – 4th Legislative District

Region IV-A

• Cavite – 3rd Legislative District
• Laguna – Calamba Lone Legislative District
• Santa Rosa Lone Legislative District
• Rizal – 1st and 4th Legislative Districts

Region IV-B

• Oriental Mindoro – 1st and 2nd Legislative Districts

Region V

• Camarines Sur – 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Legislative Districts
• Masbate – 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Legislative Districts

Region VI

• Capiz – 1st Legislative District Guimaras Lone Legislative District

Region VII

• Siquijor – Lone Legislative District

Region X

• Bukidnon -1st, 3rd, and 4th Legislative Districts
• Cagayan de Oro – 1st Legislative District

The Senate President said that “from the start, it has been the Senate’s position that the so- called People’s Initiative will be divisive to the nation and that it will cost our nation our economic gains.”

As of this writing, the Commission on Elections came out with an en banc decision to suspend all proceedings on the People’s Initiative. The COMELEC also said that there is still no rule on how those who have been allegedly duped into signing to withdraw their signatures.