Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 27) — House lawmakers are close to passing a resolution seeking to amend economic provisions of the Constitution, but their counterparts in the Senate plan to adjourn next week without tackling it.
“I don’t think we have enough time as it is to take a quick look into the proposal,” Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III told CNN Philippines in a text message on Thursday.
“Perhaps after the SONA (we can) tackle the resolution,” he added.
Congress goes on a two-month break starting June 5. It will resume its final regular session on July 26, in time for President Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address.
On Wednesday, the House passed on second reading Resolution of Both Houses No. 2, which seeks to ease foreign ownership restrictions by inserting the phrase “unless otherwise provided by the law” to constitutional provisions on national patrimony and economy, education, science and technology, arts, culture and sports, and general provisions of the charter.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said even if this is taken up, it will face an uphill battle in the upper chamber.
“My reading is that the Senators are not inclined to support amendments to the Constitution at this time. It was not even in the agenda of the LEDAC (Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council) meeting yesterday, which means it is not a priority legislation,” Drilon said in a statement.
The veteran lawmaker said the Senate is expected to soon pass instead “major laws and bills designed to liberalize our investment climate without amending the Constitution.” These include bills seeking to amend the Public Service Act, the Retail Trade Liberalization Act, and Foreign Investments Act.
Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros said she respects the decision of the members of the House, but stressed that foreign investments should not be the lawmakers’ priority.
“Panandaliang-kita lang ang hanap ng foreign investors. Pero pag-unlad ang dapat prayoridad natin bilang mambabatas, para kung mayroon o wala mang foreign investors, maayos at angat ang kalagayan ng Pilipino,” she said.
[Translation: Foreign investors are looking for momentary earnings. We should prioritize development as lawmakers, so Filipinos can prosper with or without foreign investors.]
Sotto said it’s too early to tell the fate of the proposed economic charter change in the Senate. But in an interview with CNN Philippines early this year, he said he too is “not convinced” it is what the country needs. Like Drilon, he believes it’s easier to discuss the easing of economic restrictions through regular legislation.
Late last year, Senators Francis Tolentino and Ronald dela Rosa filed a resolution seeking to convene Congress as a constituent assembly to introduce amendments to the Constitution. Talks will be “limited to the provisions on democratic representation and the economic provisions of the Constitution,” the resolution states, but it remains untouched in the chamber.
