Sotto: Plebiscite for economic charter amendment may be done during 2022 elections

The plebiscite on the proposed one-liner amendment to the so-called restrictive economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution may be done alongside the 2022 elections, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Wednesday.

This would effectively assuage concerns that the Constitution is being amended to advance term extension for the current administration, he added.

"That dispells all the other issues like aalisin ang term limits o mag-eextend ng term ang mga officials. Tanggal lahat ng issues na iyon. Kung gusto nilang pumayag na idagdag itong one-liner na ito sa Constitution," Sotto said during a virtual Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.

The Senate leader said he supports the proposed amendment as this would give lawmakers leeway to legislate laws that would help the economy.

"Doon sa economic provisions natin, kung isasama lang natin 'yung one-liner na 'yun, 'As may be provided by law,' then it can be addressed by Congress thereafter, in the 19th Congress na," he said.

"That will give Congress now a free hand to interpret the issue of our media, the issue of our ownership, the issue of trade liberalization," he added.

Asked if the 18th Congress would consider to make this charter amendment using the regular bill approving process, Sotto said: "It's possible to take that route without calling for a Constituent Assembly. It will go through a plebiscite. Bottomline, it goes to the people. After us submitting to the Palace, it goes to the people."

Moreover, Sotto said the lawmakers are also prioritizing the passage of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) bill to level the playing field for local businesses before further opening the economy to foreign investors.

"The first portion of CREATE is lowering the corporate income tax of MSMEs... 'yun ang isa sa mga priorities natin para makatulong sa kanila," he said.

The House Committee on Constitutional Amendments resumed the Charter change deliberations in the lower chamber on Wednesday. —KG, GMA News