CHA-CHA | Lower House OKs charter change resolution on third and final reading

March 6, 2023 , 09:28 PM

By Clarist Zablan, News5 Digital

(March 6, 2023) – The lower house of Congress on Monday overwhelmingly approved on its third and final reading a joint resolution of the bicameral Congress calling for a constitutional convention to amend the country’s three decades-old Constitution.

Obtaining 301 affirmative votes with only six opposition and one abstention, the lower house of Congress approved the measure, which proponents said is necessary to lure foreign investors to pour capital in the country and promote economic growth.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez, a principal author of the resolution and the cousin of sitting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., said amending the 1987 Constitution could be the “final piece in the puzzle” in improving the country’s investment environment.

“We need additional investments that would create more job and income opportunities for our people,” Romualdez said in a press release. “We need increased capital to sustain our economic growth momentum.”

Romualdez gave assurance to the public that the Lower House aims to limit the charter change initiative to amending its “restrictive” economic provisions.

The six lawmakers who opposed the resolution are Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, Camarines Sur Rep. Gabriel Bordado, Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas, ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro, Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel, and Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman.

Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, a brother of Vice President Sara Duterte and son of a former president, also said he voted against the resolution, which he described as “not timely” due to urgent economic issues. But official tallies only counted six negative votes.

Brosas, one of the three lawmakers of the left-wing Makabayan bloc, expressed concerns that loosening foreign ownership restrictions in certain industries such as utilities in the Constitution might “massacre” the livelihood of Filipinos.

“Wag tayong mag-palaganap ng ilusyon na bubuti ang lagay ng ating manggagawa sa pamamagitan ng Chacha, dahil sa aktwal, lalong babaratin ang sahod sa ilalim ng todong liberalisasyon at denasyunalisasyon ng iba’t ibang economic sectors,” she said in a statement.

For his part, Lagman said Congress cannot restrict the agenda of the constitutional convention, and therefore will not be able to limit amendments to economic provisions.

“Verily, the Constitutional Convention can amend the political provisions of the Constitution, including extension of term limits or changing term limits, which could be the furtive agenda for calling for cha-cha,” he said.

Hataman shared similar concerns with Lagman and Brosas, noting that the charter change proposals should not be rushed so they can be carefully studied.

The Lower House wants the constitutional convention to be a hybrid assembly composed of elected and appointed members. The election of delegates is planned to coincide with the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on October 30.

The Congress will still need to pass an implementing bill to form the constitutional convention, which Romualdez said will contain the details on the election and appointment of the delegates.

The measure goes to the Senate which faces tougher scrutiny. Some senators opposed the measure.

(MM | With reports from Marianne Enriquez, News5)

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