AKO-Bicol Party-List Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. once again defended the timing of the renewed Charter Change (Cha-Cha) discussions in the House of Representatives, saying it's "always the right time to do the right thing."
Garbin gave this remark during the virtual hearing Tuesday of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments, which he chairs. The hearing features the continuation of the talks on Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 2 filed by Speaker Lord Allan Velasco.
“Maraming nagtatanong, timing ba ang pag-propose ng amendments sa ating Konstitusyon (Many are asking, is it good timing to propose amendments to our Constitution)? I always say that it is always the right time to do the right thing. I think this is the right time to propose these amendments to the Constitution,” he said.
"Kung hindi ngayon, kailan (If not now, when)?" the panel chair asked.
RBH No.2 bats for the lifting of restrictive economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution for the sake of attracting more foreign direct investments (FDIs) for the Philippines, especially amid the COVID-triggered economic slump.
Velasco’s resolution seeks to add the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” to certain economic provisions of the 34-year-old Charter, which restrict foreign ownership of land, natural resources, public utilities, educational institutions, media and advertising.
Such proposal would allow Congress to pass enabling laws that will relax restrictions on foreign ownership in order to boost foreign investments, which is critical to the country’s economic recovery.
RBH No. 2 provides that by a vote of three-fourths of all its members, the Senate and the House of Representatives voting separately could propose amendments to Articles 12, 14, and 16 of the Constitution.
During the same hearing, Garbin--like a broken record--also tried to allay doubts over the intention to amend the economic constitutional provisions. He insisted that it was to “help the economy recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“Ang sentro lamang po ng discussion ay strictly economic provisions; wala pong term extension, wala pong lifting of term limits, wala pong political provisions (The discussions are centered strictly on the economic provisions; no term extensions, no lifting of term limits, no amendments to political provisions)," Garbin added.