How House panel members voted on proposed economic Cha-cha

After eight hearings, the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments on Tuesday adopted the measure proposing amendments to the "restrictive" economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution.

Resolution of Both Houses No. 2, authored no less than by Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, seeks to amend existing economic provisions in the Constitution in a bid to open up the Philippines to foreign direct investments which is seen to help the country recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

It inserts the phrase "unless otherwise provided by law" to the constitutional provisions on national economy and patrimony; education, science and technology, arts, culture, and sports; and on general provisions to give Congress flexibility to enact laws that would free up the economy to foreign investors.

During the meeting, it was announced that 62 members of the panel voted to adopt the measure, while three voted against, and three abstained.

However, House panel chair Alfredo Garbin Jr. on Tuesday afternoon said that two lawmakers voted to approve the measure through videoconference application Zoom, but it was not recorded by the secretariat during the meeting.

Hence, the final count of votes is 64 in the affirmative, three in the negative, and three abstentions.

Here is how the House panel members voted on RBH No. 2: