The Foundations of "People's CALL"

People's Council in Aid of Local Legislation (People's CALL) is an innovation in local governance, a call for ALL LOCAL LEGISLATORS to uphold the essence of the terms "sanggunian", "makipag-sanggunian", and "mag-sangguni"

Founded on the following beliefs:

1. That the collective voice of the People is the voice of God; the local government should be able to facilitate the exercise of the People's right to be heard.

2. That, as local legislators are voted by the people to be in the council seat, a reminder is given that each one is there not for his or her personal decision-making; every "yes" or "no" should be a representation of the people's wants and needs, for the common good.

3. That local legislators should actively consult the people, and consult well, prior to any decision-making, especially if it would affect the lives of thousands of constituents, and/or would entail utilization of money from the coffers of the local government unit.

4. That the people should take an active role in all legislative actions. Public officials need to recognize the importance of collaborating with their constituents, to treat them as PARTNERS in local governance, and not merely as a means for power leverage (by dangling dole-out programs).

People's participation should therefore be encouraged and supported. 

For the Sangguniang Bayan/ Panlungsod/ Panlalawigan (Municipal/ City/ Provincial Council) to come up with quality legislation, constant consultation with the people is imperative.