Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte is insisting that the canceled meeting on Charter change (Cha-cha) between Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and Senator Robin Padilla must still take place, particularly during Congress' summer break.

Villafuerte, in a statement Thursday, March 23, alluded to the fact that the House would still conduct committee hearings during the ongoing six-week recess, anyway.

“Holding the called-off meeting on RBH No.6 and HB No.7325 even during the summer break of the Congress will drive home the message on the urgency of constitutional reform," said the National Unity Party (NUP) president and majority leader of the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA).

Villafuerte is refering to Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No.6 and House Bill (HB) No.7352, which have already been passed on third and final reading by the House of Representatives.

Already transmitted by the House to the Senate, the twin measures seek the creation of a constitutional convention (con-con) for the purpose of introducing amendments to the Charter--specifically on its economic provisions.

"We cannot hope to replicate the inrush of FDIs (foreign direct investments) to our more vibrant neighbors for so long as we remain stuck with the antiquated economic provisions of our Constitution on restricted foreign participation in Philippine businesses that that have put off investors,” said Villafuerte, one of the most vocal Cha-cha proponents in the House.

Rodriguez and Padilla are the chairmen of the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments and the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Reivision of Codes, respectively.

Measures or bills pursuing Cha-cha are referred to either panel, depending on which chamber they were filed.

Rodriguez and a handful of fellow House members were supposed to attend a hearing of the Padilla panel last Monday, March 20. Rodriguez was supposed to sponsor RBH No.6 and HB No.7352 before the panel, but the Senate eventually canceled the invite.