AGUSAN del Norte, 2nd District Representative Dale Corvera sees the end of the Senate-House clashing approaches to amend the 1987 Constitution with the introduction of Resolution of Both Houses No. 7 (RBH7) in the House of Representatives that practically copy in toto Senate version’s of RBH6 introduced by Senate President Migz Zubiri, Senators Sonny Angara and Loren Legarda that envisions to transform Congress into a Constituent Assembly that will tackle on the amendment of the restrictive economic provisions of the charter only.
RBH6 version of the Lower House, however, calls for a constitutional convention to amend its restrictive economic provisions.
Corvera, a Member of the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments said that the move of the Lower House will clear the air of any doubt that Congressmen have other motives in pushing for charter amendments other than its restrictive economic provisions. Among the economic provisions in the charter lawmakers deem prohibitive and needing amendment are Article 12 on ownership of franchise; Article 14 on ownership of education enterprises; and Article 16 on ownership in the advertising industry.
It can be recalled that even President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. was emphatic in saying that he will not hinder discussions on charter change and that his administration’s position in introducing reforms to the Constitution extends to economic matters alone or those aimed at boosting the country’s economy only, and this according to Corvera should be the guidance for both Houses of Congress to do their share in doing it and to do it fast so that our country will not be overtaken by countries that are behind us in terms of economic progress.
Corvera said that both the Senate and the House should have a sense of urgency because if nothing happens before October which is the filing of certificates of candidacy for the 2025 elections, Congress will lose its focus because its members will be busy already on the election campaign preparation.
The Lower House will start its deliberation as a Committee of the Whole on RBH7 starting Monday, February 26, 2024 to fastrack the process and Corvera is hopeful that the Senate will also do the same in their version of RBH6.
