The Philippine Online Chronicles

The House committee on constitutional amendments will resume hearing measures pushing for changes in the the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution on Tuesday, October 11.

Misamis Occidental Representative Loreto Leo Ocampos who chairs the committee said various sectors are invited to the hearing as committee members wanted to get more inputs before coming out with a report and voting on it. “We will continue our consultations with stakeholders and experts on this issue. We are still on this (consultation) mode,” Ocampos said in a report.

“This is the initiative of Congress. I am very positive that at a certain point, there will be a convergence of agreement between the executive and the legislative,” he added.

Some proposed amendments House Concurrent Resolution No. 10 filed by Ocampos include the following: removal of the provision for the exclusive control and management of Filipinos over companies in the Philippines with foreign equity; removal of the 60-40 equity limit in companies favoring Filipinos; expansion of the role of foreign investors in the exploration, development and utilization of natural resources; allowing foreigners to practice their profession in the country with the principle of reciprocity foreign investments in tertiary education; extension of the 50-year land lease limits; allowing foreign ownership of industrial lands; and allowing foreign investments in media.

At at least 11 bills and resolutions calling for amendments to the Constitution in various modes, including through a constitutional convention, and a constituent assembly, where Congress convenes as a Charter-amending body.

Ocampos said the committee could approve a consolidated bill before the end of the year.

Minority lawmakers, however, said “President Benigno Simeon Aquino III and the congressional majority are putting on a great show, a moro-moro, one that will rely on sheer numbers of the majority to railroad their agenda for Cha-cha.

“It’s so unbelievable that the Palace is trying to detach itself from the Cha-cha train when the allies of the President are the ones pushing for this constitutional change,” Minority Leader and Albay Representative Edcel Lagman said in an Interaksyon.com report.

Opposition lawmakers said the Malacanang secretly wants Cha-cha but “keeps the President above the fray so that he can continue to enjoy his personal popularity into the 2013 elections – for the benefit of administration candidates – and beyond.”

In response to this, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said, “no secret favor neither a collusion” is happening between the President and his allies regarding Charter change at this time, “whether in full or in part.” He said the President remains firm on his stance that Cha-cha is not a priority of his administration.

But Senator Franklin Drilon said no Charter Change initiative will succeed without the political support of the President.

"We do realize that without the political support of the president, this will not succeed.." The public debate will expose if there is basis to amend the economic provision of the Constitution and we will try to convince the President on the validity and substantiality of the proposal,” Drilon said.

Drilon said that he has been pushing to amend the economic provision of the 1987 Constitution since 1995 but “this is the best time to do it because we have the President who is not interested in extending his term.”

Cha-cha not the solution

Vice President Jejomar Binay also expressed concern that the move to amend the Constitution might go beyond the economic provisions.

“While the assurance was made that the amendments will focus only on economic provisions, there is still the chance that it will go beyond it,” Binay said. He said the matter should be left to Congress since Charter Change is purely a 'congressional initiative.'

Bayan Muna Representatives Neri Colmenares and Teodoro Casino said there is no strong clamor from the people to change the Constitution, especially the proposal to get rid of protectionist economic provisions.

“The proposals to change the Charter come from the US and European chambers of commerce, as well as big foreign banks and corporations that want further control of our economy,” they said according to a Sunstar report.

Congress will go on a month-long break starting October 15.