THERE’S no stopping the charter change train in the House of Representatives.
A total of 301 members of the House, dominated by the President’s allies, voted in favor of the Resolution of Both Houses No. 6, which proposes a constitutional convention to amend or revise the 1987 constitution, on third and final reading.
Only six members voted against it, and one lawmaker abstained.
The plenary erupted in applause after the vote was read, and Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez immediately invited colleagues to a photo opportunity to mark what he called a “very historic moment.”
Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, the main proponent of the resolution, said he voted in favor of the measure because it is “for the general welfare and the upliftment of the Filipino people.”
The House pushed through with its moves to amend the fundamental law of the land despite President Marcos Jr. saying this was not a priority of his administration.
What the resolution says
Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 states that the Senate and the House of Representatives, with a vote of two-thirds of all its members, will vote separately to call for a constitutional convention to propose amendments or revisions to the 1987 constitution.
It says that the election and appointment of delegates would be held on Oct. 30, 2023, simultaneous with the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections.
“Extensive studies show that particular economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution need to be revisited and recrafted so that the Philippines may become globally competitive and attuned with the changing times,” it states.
The Senate has yet to approve a similar resolution, and its leadership has been lukewarm to charter change proposals.
Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, who had opposed the House move, earlier said the proceedings were unconstitutional.
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Lagman said the House and the Senate must hold a joint session to call for a constitutional convention.
“Authorities on constitutional law are unanimous that when the Congress exercises any of the modes of its constituent power, it must meet in joint session on a face-to-face interaction among Members of the House and of the Senate,” he said.
Why the con con calls?
Proponents of charter change calls said they are pursuing the move in order to amend the economic provisions of the constitution, which some have described as restrictive to foreign investments.
“We need additional investments that would create more job and income
opportunities for our people. We need increased capital to sustain our
economic growth momentum,” Romualdez said.
But critics fear that any attempt to tinker with the constitution would also result in the amendment of political provisions, as there are no restrictions as to what kind of changes the constitutional convention may propose.
A constitutional convention is one of three ways to propose changes to the constitution.
Another is through Congress, upon a vote of three-fourths of all its members. The third mode is through a people’s initiative upon a petition of at least twelve per cent of the total number of registered voters.
