Speaker to push for Cha-cha

MANILA, Philippines - Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said yesterday he will continue his push for Charter reforms in the 16th Congress to help sustain the country’s growth in the long term.

He conceded there is little time left for the Senate and the House of Representatives to discuss various proposals to amend the 1987 Constitution as there are only nine session days remaining before the 15th Congress goes on a break for the campaign period.

“I’ll push it again in the 16th Congress,” Belmonte said, adding that he would only be supporting amendments to the various restrictive economic provisions in the Constitution to enable the easy entry of foreign investments.

The Centrist Democratic Party (CDP), headed by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, earlier launched a nationwide roadshow to promote Charter change that he said would result in fundamental political and economic reforms.

The CDP is also pushing to lift the foreign ownership restrictions for certain sectors.

Rodriguez said now is the best time to amend the Constitution as there are no doubts on the sincerity of President Aquino to implement structural reforms.

In his speech before leaders of the Joint Foreign Chambers last November, Belmonte said the economic restrictions of the Constitution have to be addressed, and the overall business environment has to be made more conducive to growth.

“While amendments to the economic provisions of the Constitution may not come sooner, I earnestly believe that this should be given priority by the next Congress,” the House leader said.

“We have to realize much higher levels of investments. Higher investments will lead to the creation of much-needed jobs and provide consumers with wider and better choices in goods and services,” he said.

He said the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” could be introduced to Article 12, which is on national economy and patrimony. This means Congress would still need to pass specific laws to allow full ownership of land, and other industries such as utilities, media or advertising.

Once Congress approves the amendment after separate affirmative voting in the Senate and the House, the amendment would be approved like a regular bill.

The Commission on Elections would then be asked to conduct a plebiscite to get final approval of the people.

“Countries are like living creatures. They have to adapt to changing conditions to survive and develop. We are witnessing rapid and radical developments in digital and information technology,” Belmonte said at the opening of the third regular session of the 15th Congress.

“We cannot afford to lag far behind. Dramatic economic, political, and social upheavals all over the world have altered and redefined territorial boundaries and diplomatic relations,” he said.

Dim chances

But at the Senate, Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago said any attempt to amend the Constitution under the current administration would not be successful because of the lack of support from President Aquino himself.

Speaking on a symposium on Charter change (Cha-cha) at the Centro Escolar University in Manila, Santiago said that there is no hope for Cha-cha anytime within the next three years judging from President’s declaration that such an undertaking is not among his priorities.

Santiago said that in order for charter change to be successful, the proponents must have the support of the President.

She explained that the even if Congress manages to approve the necessary resolution to undertake amendments to the Constitution, the financial requirements for this exercise would need the approval of the President.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile is also pushing for Charter change.

Like Belmonte, Enrile favors amending the economic provisions of the Constitution, particularly the limitations on foreign ownership.

 â€œChanging circumstances demand a new Constitution. We can’t write a Constitution that will be good for all time,” Santiago said.

She said that a Constitution should last for at least one generation or 30 years so, meaning the current 1987 Constitution is due for amendments.

As a former professor of constitutional law and an avid student of the Constitution, Santiago said that there are several provisions in the current law that must be amended to make it more applicable to the present times.

“Ours is a Constitution that is both noisy and verbose.  It is full of too many grand statements that are the trademark of political speeches.  A progressive constitution is one that focuses on political structures and actual mechanisms that operationalize those political structures. We must have a constitution that is both lean and meaningful,” Santiago said.

She said that the Constitution must have a working mechanism for initiative and referendum to allow the people to continually update it and force the hand of the legislature to undertake such exercise.