By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Reporter
THE HOUSE of Representatives will start revisiting a proposal to amend the 1987 Philippine Constitution next year, Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said on Tuesday.
“I believe 2024 will allow us again to revisit the issue of [amending] the Constitution,” he told a news briefing.
The Speaker on Monday said the House is looking to amend the Charter to ease economic restrictions on foreign businesses.
He said the people would decide whether Congress should vote on constitutional changes jointly or separately.
“To make sure that the economic provisions are backed up, we would have to also have a sort of continuity in government,” he added.
Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga Rep. Aurelio D. Gonzales, Jr. told reporters a new resolution seeking to change the Constitution would be filed next year. Discussions are expected to start before the President’s state of the nation address in July.
“How will you work under a new Philippines if you’re working under an old Constitution?” Mr. Gonzales said in Filipino, referring to the Marcos government “New Philippines” tagline.
Mr. Gonzales will also renew his proposal to change presidential term limits to five years and two terms from a single six-year term.
He said congressmen would also deliberate on the mode of Charter change, whether through a constitutional convention, a constituent assembly or a people’s initiative.
The House in March passed a bill seeking to amend the 1987 Constitution through a constitutional convention. A similar measure in the Senate only reached the committee level.
Bayan Muna chairman and former congressman Neri J. Colmenares said changing the charter would not solve poverty and would only expand “foreign economic domination.”
“The Rice Tariffication Law crippled farmers and agriculture as it opened the country to cheap rice from China and Vietnam but did not substantially lower the price of rice for consumers,” he said in a statement.
He added that easing economic restrictions would allow foreign companies to take control of the Philippines’ public utilities, media, schools and lands.