HOUSE OPENS DEBATES ON RESO FOR CON-CON

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz

@joveemarie

THE House of Representatives on Wednesday started the plenary debates on Resolution of Both Houses 6 calling for a Constitutional Convention to propose amendments to the 1987 Constitution.

I n his sponsorship speech, House Committee on Constitutional Amendments Chairman Rufus Rodriguez said Congress cannot turn its back from the “truth and reality” that the 1987 Constitution needs to be reviewed for being what he called the third most restrictive in the world and the most restrictive in ASEAN.

Its inflexibility and restrictiveness hampers foreign direct investments (FDIs) to come in as much as they do in other countries. And the fact remains, as was pointed out by the representative of the Management Association of the Philippines, an association of 1,100 member-executives of Philippine listed local and multinational companies, that it is only Congress which can do this, in the exercise of its constituent function reposed upon by the Constitu- tion under Article XVII, Sections 1 and 2. That is to either propose amendments by itself or call for a Constitutional Convention to do the same,” said Rodriguez.

“ While we are on the way to recovery, our ASEAN neighbors, notably Vietnam, are already way ahead of us in economic performance. Inflation and fiscal deficits are among the highest in the region, as well as the number of businesses closed. If we are to catch up, we need more FDIs to come in,” he added.

T he RBH 6 is calling for a Constitutional Convention where delegates shall both be appointed and elected by the people simultaneously with the next Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on October 30, 2023.

T he convention is mandated, through a process of public hearings and deliberations, to submit the proposed charter change for the people’s ratification which shall be held not earlier than 60 days nor later than 90 days upon approval of the amendments or revisions, and the same shall be valid only when ratified by a majority of the votes cast.

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