Listen: “Constitutionalism and Charter Change” | A Podcast Episode
The Program on Social and Political Change (PSPC) launched the podcast, “Banyuhay: Change, One Conversation at a Time,” on 6 December 2024, 1:00 pm via DZUP’s YouTube and Facebook account, and via UP CIDS’ Spotify channel.
For its inaugural season, Banyuhay focuses on the theme, “Uncharted Grounds: The Hidden Side of Charter Change,” which covers four episodes exploring the hidden dimensions of constitutional reform. The first episode featured a discussion with Professor Dante B. Gatmaytan, LLM from the UP College of Law. He explores the concept of “constitutionalism,” specifically within the context of the Philippines and potential amendments to its constitution, or popularly referred to as “cha-cha.”
Episode Topics
Constitutionalism: an explanation of the concept, referring to the idea that government power should be limited by a constitution and that the constitution should be upheld and protected.
Constitutional Change and Amendment: explores the implications of amending the constitution (cha-cha) and how these changes might affect the principle of Constitutionalism. This includes discussing the appropriate limits of and safeguards for such amendments.
Role of the Supreme Court: questions the role of the judiciary, particularly the Supreme Court, in safeguarding the constitution and upholding democratic principles in the face of potential constitutional changes.
Substantive Limits to Constitutional Amendments: delves into the idea that certain fundamental principles within a constitution should be considered inviolable and beyond the reach of amendments, even if those amendments follow the proper procedures.
Interplay of Law and Politics: examines how political dynamics and legal frameworks interact and influence the strength and effectiveness of Constitutionalism in the Philippines.
Guest Speaker
Professor Dante B. Gatmaytan is the George A. Malcolm Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of the Philippines, College of Law. He graduated with a B.S. in Legal Management from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1987 and a law degree from the University of the Philippines in 1991. He also holds Master’s Degrees from Vermont Law School and the University of California, Los Angeles. He prominently writes about the intersection of law and politics. His articles have been published in the University of Pennsylvania Asian Law Journal, the Asian Journal of Comparative Law, and the Harvard Women’s Law Journal, among many others. His books include “Legal Method Essentials,” “Local Government Law and Jurisprudence,” and “Constitutional Governance in the Philippines: Principles and Structures.” He also served as Head of the Information and Publication Division and as Director of the Institute for the Administration of Justice of the UP Law Center. He is currently a member of the Corps of Professors (Department of Constitutional Law) of the Philippine Judicial Academy.
Host
Prof. Dennis Quilala is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science of the University of the Philippines. He is currently a PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science and International Relations of the University of Canterbury and finished his Master of Arts in Political Science, University of the Philippines Diliman in 2005. He focuses on the study of peace processes and conflicts in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. His other research interests include political philosophy, local governance, human rights, and political violence. Among his publications is entitled: “Nongovernmental Organizations in Humanitarian Activities in the Philippines: Local Contributions in Post-Disaster Settings and Implications for Humanitarian Action and Diplomacy” in the Asian Journal of Comparative Politics, first published online 5 November 2021 (co-written with Dr. Maria Ela Atienza).
Queries
For queries, please email: [email protected]
The Banyuhay Podcast is produced by the Program on Social and Political Change (PSPC) of the Center for Integrative and Development Studies, University of the Philippines, in partnership with DZUP.
The Program on Social and Political Change is one of the UP CIDS’ 18 research programs that focuses on sociopolitical issues of the Philippines. Learn more and download PSPC policy papers for free.