Cha-cha resolution clears House committee while Senate stalls

MANILA, Philippines — After just six days of plenary discussions, the House committee of the whole on Wednesday approved Resolution of Both Houses 7 that seeks to amend economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution, delivering on the promise of House leaders to expedite the process of changing the Charter despite senators’ reluctance to do the same.

With RBH 7 now up for second reading, lawmakers at the lower chamber are still on schedule with the timeframe of House leaders who want the measure approved on final reading before Holy Week.

Senators, however, have begun to float the idea that RBH 6 may not get enough votes to be approved by at least three-fourths of the chamber, weeks after it first started deliberations on the measure on February 5.

Both RBH 6 and 7 seek to lift the foreign ownership restrictions in public utilities, advertising and education. However, the House’s RBH 7 does not explicitly state that Congress will vote on amendments separately or jointly.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri admitted in a press conference on Wednesday that it would be a "challenge" to secure at least 18 out of 24 votes in favor of RBH 6 as others remain unconvinced about amending the economic provisions of the Constitution.

This confirms pronouncements by Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel on Sunday that he expects up to eight senators are currently against Charter change, including Sen. Cynthia Villar and Sen. Villar. Those who have consistently opposed Charter change in the Senate are the two senators in the minority bloc — Pimentel and Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros.

Zubiri also said that there are now “trust issues” with House lawmakers due to the possibility that Congress will convene jointly to vote on amendments to the Constitution, where the larger House outnumbers the 24-member Senate. 

The Senate president said, however, that clinching enough votes for RBH 6 is still “in the realm of possibilities” even as he has raised the issue with the president, who earlier tasked the upper chamber to lead Charter change deliberations in Congress.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier said he wants the Charter change plebiscite to be held simultaneously with the 2025 midterm elections.

House leaders on Monday also pressured the Senate to speed up its approval of RBH 6 to avoid extending deliberations as far as July, where lawmakers are expected to conduct their deliberations of the proposed national budget.