A vocal proponent of Charter Change (Cha-cha) in the House of Representatives says that the chamber would "respect" the Senate’s decision in case it would reject the proposal to create a constitutional convention (con-con). In a statement Sunday, March 19, Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte once again underscored the need for the upper chamber, the Senate, to take up the con-con proposal in plenary, even with the possibility that it might get defeated in a vote. “We in the House would respect such a decision by a majority of our senators and leave it at that," Villafuerte said. “However, at this point, we are appealing to our senators to give serious thought to the timely plenary action on this latest constitutional reform proposal designed to rid the 1987 Charter of its 40 percent cap on foreign ownership or participation in businesses that have for decades now turned off investors and restricted FDIs,” he said. The former deputy speaker hinted that such rejection is necessary in order for the two chambers to come up with an agreeable set-up for the sought revision of the 1987 Constitution. “Right now, it’s beside the point whether the Senate considers improving our Constitution by way of a con-con or con-ass (Constituent Assembly),’ Villafuerte said. “What is important at this stage is for the Senate to consider amendments to our flawed Constitution, so the 19th Congress can come up with a consolidated measure green-lighting a Charter makeover at the soonest time possible," added the majority leader of the Commission on Appointments (CA). The House has already passed on third and final reading Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No.6, which calls for the election of delegates to con-con. These delegates will be tasked to come up with amendments to the Constitution, which would then be subjected to a plebiscite. Recently, Senator Robin Padilla, chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Reivision of Laws, said he was close to submitting the chamber’s own Cha-cha proposal for for plenary action. However, Padilla, who claims to support the House's con-con proposal, said he might end up supporting Cha-cha via con-ass instead, if only to keep the process going and gain support from the senators who are not in favor of con-con. There are three ways Cha-cha can be carried out; via con-con, con-ass, or people's initiative (PI). Under a con-ass, no election of delegates will take place; instead, the sitting members of Congress---the House members and the senators--will pitch the amendments to the Charter themselves. Reports said that senators like the cost-effective nature of a con-ass, since the government won't spend for an election and it won't have to allocate funds for delegates' salaries and allowances. However, the lawmakers would have to perform their con-ass functions on top of their regular duties in Congress.