House lawmakers on Friday, February 9 lauded President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s declaration of full support for the House of Representatives push for economic reform in the Constitution.

Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. said amending the restrictive economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution to enable to attract more foreign investments can be the legacy of the President and the 19^thCongress.

“Changing the language of the Charter’s restrictive economic provisions to enable the country to attract more foreign investments can be the legacy of PBBM and the 19th Congress,” said Gonzales, Pampanga 3^rd District Representative.

The lawmaker further said the President’s declaration during the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa) Constitution Day last Thursday, ignites hope among House members and those advocating constitutional reform that “we can finish this within the term of the President and this Congress.”

“Palaging DOA ang adbokasyang ito pagdating sa Senado. Ngayon, dahil sa full support ng Pangulong Marcos, ito ay buhay at sana’y matapos namin kaagad ang inaasahang reporma sa Saligang Batas para sa kapakanan ng bansa at ng ating mga kababayan (This advocacy is always dead on arrival when it comes to the Senate. Now, due to President Marcos’ full support, it is alive and I hope we can finish the expected reform of the Constitution immediately for the sake of the country and our compatriots,” Gonzales said.

Because of the President’s pronouncements, the solon says the House will take up Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri’s “self-imposed timeline” to adopt Resolution of Both Houses No. 6.

“To quote him, ‘this quarter, before the Holy Week break.’ We are just going by that pronouncement,” he said.

Deputy Speaker and Quezon Rep. David “JayJay” Suarez also echoed Gonzales’ view saying the President’s “clear and unequivocal stand” on the need to amend the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution should prompt the Senate to act with dispatch on RBH No. 6.

“It is high time for the Senate to prove whether they are genuine partners in nation-building or mere obstructionists. The passage of RBH No. 6 is a litmus test of their commitment to meaningful reforms that will benefit the Filipino people,” Suarez said.

“The successful passage of RBH No. 6 will not only validate the efforts of the administration to promote economic development but also vindicate the aspirations of millions of Filipinos for a better and brighter future,” he added.

“It is our collective responsibility as legislators to rise above partisan interests and work together towards the common goal of building a more prosperous and resilient Philippines,” he further said.

“I urge my colleagues in the Senate to set aside political differences and prioritize the national interest by supporting the passage of RBH No. 6. Let us seize this historic opportunity to enact meaningful reforms that will pave the way for a stronger, more competitive, and more inclusive economy for generations to come,” Suarez appealed.

Surigao del Norte 2^nd District Rep. Robert Ace S. Barbers also echoed the call of his colleagues saying that senators “should at the very least listen” after the President has broken his silence and finally endorsed the constitutional economic reforms.

“The President has broken his silence and finally endorsed constitutional economic reforms. Senators should at the very least listen. They have been calling on the President to settle the issue. They now got what they are asking for. The prolonged word war between the Senate and the House of Representatives should now hopefully come to an end and start working,” Barbers said.

Barbers said now is the time for the Senate “to rise above the pathetic name calling and malicious allegations and prove that it is not an obstructionist to the opening up of the domestic economy to the foreign market, where there will be less oligopolies in the country resulting in more competition, with only the Filipino people benefitting.”

“Again, the time to do this was yesterday, we are running out of time and we’re being left behind by our Asian neighbors,” he said.

“To reiterate, this is a risk worth taking because at the end of the day, this will be the subject of a plebiscite, where the Filipino people will have the final say,” the solon emphasized.

Earlier, the Senate Subcommittee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes held its initial hearing into RBH No. 6, which seeks to amend the economic provisions of the Constitution.

Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, chairperson of the committee, earlier floated the possibility of the holding of a plebiscite alongside the elections.