Around 400 offices of election officers around the country have received signatures of registered voters supposedly backing a people's initiative to amend the 1987 Constitution. Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Garcia said Wednesday.

In an interview, Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Garcia said: ''Based on the reports coming from the field, our local offices have started to receive signature pages... These signature pages used the prescribed form provided in our Resolution."

"The reports we have received are almost nationwide. From Cordillera to Bangsamoro, local Comelec offices have been getting these signature pages," he added.

There are 1,634 cities and municipalities in the Philippines while there are 253 congressional districts nationwide.

Under the 1987 Constitution, Charter change may be proposed by the people through an initiativeby at least 12 percent of the total number of registered voters in the country, with every legislative district represented by at least three percent of its registered voters.

Despite the high number of signature pages submitted, Garcia said the Comelec has no jurisdiction since no petition has been filed by the people's initiative proponent. DMS