Zubiri lauds PBBM for thumbing down Charter change proposals
Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri welcomed on Tuesday, February 14, the statement of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. that proposals to amend the “restrictive” economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution is not a priority.
Zubiri thinks that the proposal of Senator Robinhood C. Padilla for constitutional amendments through a Constituent Assembly is a “very divisive issue.”
“What the country needs to do now is to focus on post pandemic, recovery and reconstruction. Doon muna tayo, payamanin muna natin ang ating mga kababayan na nahihirapan sa kanilang sitwasyon sa buhay (Let us first help our financially-distressed countrymen),” he said.
“Charter change was never really in our agenda,” he added.
Zubiri was referring to about 20 legislative priorities that were agreed upon during a Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting that requires congressional approval.
The LEDAC meeting at Malacanang was held yesterday.
These bills include the proposed ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, and bills on the CDC, Medical Corps, Virology Institute ROTC and Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF), Zubiri said.
During the LEDAC meeting, Padilla’s Charter Change resolution was not taken up.
Asked if the Padilla resolution is dead in the water, Zubiri said Padilla has the mandate to conduct public hearings since he is the chairman of the Senate constitutional amendments committee.
“He has the mandate to do so. He can do so but it is not the priority of the administration particularly we would like to finish the 20 priority measures that are still pending with us,” the Senate chief said.
Zubiri emphasized that what the Senate should do is to focus on post pandemic, recovery and reconstruction measures.
“That is his (Padilla’s) job. His job is to look for ways and means to improve the constitution,” he said.
“I think many of our colleagues... I have discussed this .. let's prioritize our pending legislative measures that have been prioritized in the LEDAC. And Charter Change is not one of them,” he pointed out.