To respond to the clamor of the local government units (LGUs) for bigger budget and autonomy,  Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano vowed on Sunday that the House of Representatives will push for “some legislation” that will bring the country closer to “economic federalism.”

He said recognizing that now is not the proper time to push for constitutional reforms, they will roll up their sleeves to pass amendments to Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991.

"We can actually revive the internal revenue allotment code and many other portions of the local government code to bring us closer to economic federalism.So ang gagawin namin (So what will happen) we will continue discusssing Cha-cha, 'yung committee lang (in the committee level) , magmu-multitask kami (we can do multi-tasking), hindi 'yung plenary (not the plenary) and then afterwards we will push some legislation that will bring us closer,” he told the DZBB in an interview.

"So hindi man natin magagawa ang federalism kung hindi papalitan 'yung Constitution (because we cannot have federalism if the Constitution will not be amended), pero mailalapit natin ang sitwasyon ng mga LGU sa fedaralism (but, we can bring the LGU’s situation closer to federalism) kung may mga batas tayo na babaguhin katulad ng (if we will amend laws like) Local Government Code,” he added.

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, chairman of the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments, earlier said that he will call a virtual meeting  “within the first two weeks” of the second regular session to discuss the proposed constitutional reforms of 1,488 municipal mayors.

Cayetano maintained that he does not see that plebiscite will be conducted any time soon, given the threats posed by the coronavirus disease. 

"In the sense na dapat pag-usapan (that it should be tackled), it's a priority, but in the sense na gagawin mo na (that you will do it), hindi ko kasi nakikita na magpapatawag tayo ng plebisito eh (I don’t see that we will call for a plebiscite). Sinasabi natin sa tao (We have been asking people)  stay-at-home, 'wag mag-congregrate (don’t congregate), eh paano mo papupuntahin sa presinto (how can you ask them to go to precincts) na alam naman natin ang botohan sa atin (you know the voting here), kumpol-kumpol ang tao sa mga eskwelahan 'di ba para bumoto (the people huddled close to each other to vote). So ang problema du'n sa (the problem with) Cha-cha is really the timing,” he said.

Members of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) had passed a resolution expressing support to constitutional amendments.  

The LMP sought to institutionalize the Supreme Court's Mandanas ruling in the Constitution and asked that restrictions on foreign investment in industries currently limited to Filipinos be lifted. 

The Mandanas ruling  categorically included all national taxes in the allotment for the LGUs.

Last week, AKO Bicol partylist Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. and Bayan Muna partylist Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate said any initiative to amend the 1987 Constitution  should be put in the backburner,  especially during this time of COVID-19 pandemic crisis, so that the government's efforts  could focus on the country's battle against COVID-19.