Senate shelves charter change bid

Metro Manila, Philippines — The Senate has put its foot down against proposals to fasttrack amendments to the Constitution as the 19th Congress opened its last regular session on Monday, July 22.

Senate President Chiz Escudero said the Senate will “set aside items which merely dissipate our energy and divide the public” and focus on measures “which the people truly need.”

“Pending bills on charter change will be placed in the backburner, and will follow the ordinary and regular process of legislation,” Escudero said in a speech before colleagues.

The economic charter change initiative through a people’s initiative has cleared the House of Representatives. The Senate, however, has sat on the proposal.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. previously asked the Senate to lead the review of the Constitution’s economic provisions.

Priority legislations

The executive department set a common legislative agenda with both chambers.

Aside from this, Escudero highlighted that the Senate should pass the Maritime Zone and Sea Lanes Act to reinforce the country’s claims in the West Philippine Sea.

In his speech, he said he also wants to tackle measures to strengthen the military to “secure our peace.”

“We will take peaceful measures to defend our people’s right to sail in our seas and fish in our waters— as what our ancestors had done, and what our children and our grandchildren shall do,” the senate president said. “Indeed, we must work towards bridging these troubled waters.”

He also noted laws passed to ease the burden on big business, but he wanted more that would “uplift every Filipino.”

“Bakit walang [Why is there no] ease of commuting and connecting? Ease of finishing school and finding work? Ease of healthcare for the sick? Ease of acquiring justice? Ease of growing food and feeding our families?” he asked.

Romualdez, meanwhile, said in his speech that both chambers have agreed that their priorities must align with those of the Marcos administration.

He committed House approval of remaining priority bills before the end of the 19th Congress. He said the chamber passed all bills mentioned in last year’s SONA.

Romualdez said remaining legislations are the proposed Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, reforms in the capital market, amendments to the Foreign Investors’ Long-Term Lease Act, amendments to the agrarian reform law, and amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law.

“We have done our homework,” the House speaker said in his speech. “We addressed concerns on food security, climate change, social protection, tourism, public health, public order and safety, among others.”

He also touted the performance of the chamber in its probe on illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators and the illegal drug trade.

Romualdez, the president’s cousin, said lawmakers “stand united with the president in his desire to advance these legislative initiatives that will shape the nation’s path forward. This is a time for unity, and we fully support the president.”

This regular session is the last before Filipinos vote in the midterm elections in May 2025.

The Senate and House opened sessions separately.

This is the first time Escudero presided over the opening of the Senate session after the leadership shake-up in May that ousted Sen. Migz Zubiri.

The two chambers suspended the plenary session later in the morning and would reconvene in the afternoon for a joint session at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.

Lawmakers will then hear the State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at 4 p.m. according to the Constitution.