House to Senate: Review economic Cha-cha

MANILA, Philippines — Senators should take a look at the Charter change proposals initiated and approved by the House of Representatives, particularly Resolution of Both Houses 2, so the country can catch up with thriving ASEAN neighbors, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said yesterday.

“RBH 2 is pure economic reform. We still have time to finish this process. These are not extensive provisions. They merely open the possibility for congressional action towards greater openness to new jobs and new industries. So we hope the Senate can take action soon,” Salceda explained.

“The ball is now with the Senate. One thing the House leadership has proven with our expeditious passage of economic reforms is that we are not standing in the way of tunay na pagbabago on the economic front,” the chairman of the House committee on ways and means added.

In his sponsorship speech, Salceda said the 1987 Constitution “hardcoded paranoia” and “limited the progress of future generations with the fears of the past.”

“We hope our colleagues in the Senate will see the wisdom in this measure and allow Congress to present it to the public for ratification alongside the election of new leaders in the 2022 national elections,” said Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, author of RBH 2.

“Easing foreign restrictions in the Constitution can boost the country’s performance and competitiveness. This economic reform can generate more jobs, improve the quality of human resource and foster sustainable economic growth,” stressed AAMBIS-OWA partylist Rep. Sharon Garin.

Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin, House committee on constitutional amendments chairman, noted that stronger foreign direct investment in the country can kick-start the economy as the country continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last Tuesday, the House passed RBH 2 on final reading via 251-21-2 voting. The Senate, however, has yet to pass its counterpart bill.

Department of the Interior and Local Government spokesman Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya lauded its passage, saying that this will be the game-changer for the country’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Given how the pandemic has affected our economy, the timing of the economic amendments to the Constitution is just right. This is what we need the most at this time so that Congress is given the flexibility to open up our economy to foreign capital, something we need urgently,” Malaya said. – Edu Punay, Romina Cabrera, Rhodina Villanueva