House OKs funding bill for hybrid con-con

MANILA, Philippines — Administration lawmakers gave their overwhelming support to a bill that would implement the Resolution of Both Houses 6 paving the way for a hybrid constitutional convention, which was approved on third and final reading yesterday.

Voting 301-7, allies of President Marcos in the House of Representatives – dubbed as the super majority coalition – approved House Bill 7352, which seeks to carry out and provide the financial requirements for creating a recommendatory body.

Speaker Martin Romualdez presided over yesterday’s plenary session.

The seven lawmakers who objected were France Castro (ACT Teachers), Arlene Brosas (Gabriela) and Raoul Manuel (Kabataan) of the Makabayan Bloc, and Edcel Lagman of Albay, Mujiv Hataman of Basilan, Gabriel Bordado of Camarines Sur and Paolo Duterte of Davao City.

Lawmakers led by Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, who heads the House committee on constitutional amendments, urged their counterparts in the Senate to support their decision to amend the prohibitive economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution.

“The Senate cannot and should not ignore our initiative, which is an expression of the people’s consensus that we gathered during our recent nationwide public hearings and consultations,” Rodriguez, who represents the second district of Cagayan de Oro, said.

Rodriguez made the statement in reaction to remarks by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri that it would be futile for senators to tackle Charter change at this point since there would be no vote for it in his chamber.

He said 301 of 314 House members voted in favor of Resolution of Both Houses 6, which urges Congress to convene a constitutional convention to rewrite the Charter’s “restrictive” economic provisions.

“Inter-chamber courtesy calls that the Senate tackles any measure passed by the House, especially if it is approved by an overwhelming vote and requires urgent attention, and vice versa,” Rodriguez said.