Senator Robinhood “Robin” Padilla expressed hope that voters in the upcoming May 2025 elections will choose unpopular candidates but can usher in much-needed amendments to the Constitution.
Sen. Robin Padilla (Senate PRIB Photo)
Padilla, who has been seeking reforms in the 1987 Constitution and leading Charter change discussions in the Senate, expressed this during the 29th anniversary of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in Mandaluyong City on Thursday, August 24.
Padilla, chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes, has been pushing for amendments to the Constitution to allow the entry of foreign investments in the Philippines as well as the more efficient operation of the government.
“Sana sa 2025 magkaroon kayo ng intensyon na bumoto ng mga kandidatong hindi naman kilala pero naniniwala na kailangan nating baguhin ang porma ng gobyerno (I hope that in 2025, Filipinos intend to vote for candidates who may not be famous but believe that the form of government must change,” Padilla said.
“Kailangan, isa na lang ang House para matipid sa gastos, mabilis ang mga batas, at sana pumayag na ang gobyerno na pumasok ang ating mga foreign investor (We need only one house in Congress to cut costs, pass laws more quickly, and allow the entry of foreign investors),” the senator also said.
"Bakit kailangan natin ng foreign investor? Para hindi na mag-abroad ang Pilipino. Para ang foreign investor dadalhin dito para magkaroon kayo ng trabaho, yan ho ang kailangan natin (Why do we need foreign investors? So we need not go abroad to work. Foreign investors will bring jobs that we need)," he added.
Padilla said the Philippines needs to bring in foreign investors similar to what Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia have done. He said Cambodia may threaten to surpass the Philippines in terms of economic growth.
He also said the current system of government can serve taxpayers better if the two houses of Congress - the Senate and House of Representatives - become one.
This is also in line with the aspirations of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to have rightsizing in government,” he pointed out.
“Ang rightsizing ibig sabihin maging mautak ang gobyerno na paliitin. Kailangan huwag tayo maging masyadong magastos, e ngayon ho masyado tayong magastos kasi may senador, may congressman pa kayo (Rightsizing means government has to be wise in making do with less. We must not spend too much taxpayers' money. Right now we are doing that because we have both senators and congressmen),” Padilla explained.
According to Padilla, he cannot advocate amendments to the Constitution on his own, and he needs allies who will share his beliefs in improving the system of government.
Padilla also said he is more than ready to level up efforts to pursue federalism, especially after no less than the President expressed his support for it.
“Matagal ko nang isinusulong ang pederalismo, kung kaya't isang malaking inspirasyon ang pahayag ng ating Pangulo tungkol dito. Handa akong gawin ang lahat para makamtan ito (I have long pursued federalism, so the President's statement is a big inspiration for me. I am prepared to do what it takes to achieve this),” said Padilla in a separate statement.
On Thursday, the President announced that the government has taken the first step toward federalism by distributing power to the local government units (LGUs), a matter which Padilla said, he supports as he agrees that power should not be concentrated in “Imperial Manila.”