WHILE President Benigno S. Aquino III still strongly opposes amending the Constitution, advocates of Charter change (Cha-cha) are making their move.
Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr. filed House Resolution No. 1 which seeks “to amend restrictive economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution through the regular legislative route in the Senate and the House of Representatives,” says Philstar.com.
The resolution “seeks to enjoin” the Senate and House of Representatives “to propose amendments to Articles 2,12 and 16 of the Constitution by a vote of three-fourths of their members, with each chamber voting separately.”
If passed in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, the amendments would then be presented to the public for approval via a nationwide plebiscite.
While Belmonte’s resolution is seemingly more focused on amending only economic provisions, two sibling lawmakers filed a bill days after, seeking amendments to the political provisions as well.
Cagayan De Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and Abante Mindanao party-list Rep. Maximo Rodriguez filed a bill which asks Congress “to convene a constitutional convention (Con-con) to propose constitutional amendments.”
“Among the political changes being proposed by the Rodriguez brothers were shifting the country’s form of government from presidential system to federal-parliamentary, conversion of Congress into a one-chamber parliament, and the abolition of the term limits for senators, congressmen and other local officials,” Philstar.com reported.
The Rodriguez brothers also proposed:
– the lifting of foreign ownership restrictions in the exploration and use of natural resources, public utilities, educational institutions, mass media, advertising and other investments;
– that land ownership remain in the hands of Filipino citizens only until land distribution
under the comprehensive agrarian reform is completed;
– the restoration of majority and minority party representation in the board of election inspectors, which would continue to be chaired by a public school teacher;
– the appointment of justices to the Judicial and Bar Council to be confirmed by the Commission on Appointments
Under the con-con bill, “the convention would be composed of one delegate each from the country’s 234 legislative districts, with the same qualifications as House members,” which carries with it a P2,500 allowance per day of attendance “in the session of the convention or in the meetings of its committees, plus a reasonable amount for travel expenses. They would have no salary.”
“Any person holding an elective or appointive office would be considered resigned upon the filing of his certificate of candidacy for convention delegate.”
“A delegate cannot hold any other office and cannot run in the first national and local election to be conducted under a rewritten Constitution. The bill proposes the allocation of P250 million for the election of delegates and P500 million for the operation of the convention.”
“It sets a deadline for the convention to finish its job: from Jan. 6, 2014 to July 6, 2014. An elected convention would have plenary or sweeping powers to rewrite the Constitution. However, the two said the President, with his vast popularity, could easily get the delegates’ support for whatever changes he desires in the Charter,” Philstar.com reports.
Reacting to both actions made in the House of Representatives, Malacañang said it will not prevent the country’s lawmakers from pushing their initiatives under the law.
While there are significant differences between the two bills, both will seek the people’s mandate and require Filipinos to play an active role in choosing what’s best for the nation.
It would be best to weigh the pros and cons of both proposals, as well as the reasons behind Pres. Aquino’s adamant opposition of charter change.
After all, amending a democracy’s constitution is never easy –a herculean feat to accomplish for both government leaders and ordinary citizens.
However, we should realize that our right to suffrage put these lawmakers in their seats of power and as Pres. Aquino put it, we are the bosses of his administration.
The least we can do is be prepared to make an intelligent and sound decision.
(AJPress)
