House OKs Cha-cha resolution on 2nd reading, limits amendments to economic provisions

The House of Representatives on Tuesday, via voice vote, approved on second reading Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) 6 which calls for constitutional convention (con-con) for amending the economic provisions of the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

The second reading approval happened after RBH 6 was amended to limit the charter change to the economic provisions of the Constitution as proposed by the Iloilo Representative Lorenz Defensor.

House constitutional amendments panel chairperson Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro accepted the amendment, saying “it is what came up during our public consultations.”

House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro of ACT Teachers party-list, however, was not reassured despite such an amendment limiting constitutional change to economic provisions.

"It is not true that only economic provisions would be tackled with the Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 as Committee on Constitutional Amendments chairman Rufus Rodriguez himself said at the first on-site charter change consultation in Cagayan de Oro last February 10. Chair Rodriguez said that 'when there’s a constitutional convention, they will have the constituent power to also be able to discuss not only our economic provisions,  but also political amendments...," Castro said in a separate statement.

"On the deliberation and approval of the Constitutional Convention (ConCon) Act, [providing for con-con delegation composition] yesterday chair Rodriguez also said that “Once the constitutional convention is convened, it has constituent plenary power.” In short, it will also be empowered to entertain political amendments,” Castro added.

Proponents of the economic charter change, including Speaker Martin Romualdez of Leyte, have argued that economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution restricting foreign ownership of various industries, including land, should be eased to allow more foreign capital to come in and generate investments and consequently, jobs.—LDF, GMA Integrated News