Senate panel invites economic experts, business groups to Cha-cha hearing
The Senate Subcommittee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes has invited representatives from the country’s big business groups and economists to provide their expert opinions on the proposal to amend the supposed “restrictive” economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution.
Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, chairperson of the committee, said they have invited representatives from the Makati Business Club (MBC), the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), and the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), among others, to shed light on the state of the country’s economy and openness to foreign investment to attend the next scheduled public hearing which is on Monday, February 12.
Angara said he is confident their inputs will help the subcommittee come up with an informed decision before the panel proceeds further on Resolution of Both Houses No. 6.
“Sila yung mga sanay makipag-usap sa investors (They are the ones who are used to talk to investors),” Angara said.
Angara reiterated his belief there should be some flexibility to the economic provisions in the Constitution to allow the Philippine to adjust to world economic trends.
“Hindi tayo pwedeng sumabay sa kilos o hugis ng pandaigdigang ekonomiya. Yung ibang bansa nagpapasa lang sila ng batas, nagpapasa sila ng polisiya, tayo mag-aamyenda pa tayo ng Saligang Batas to adjust to economic trends worldwide (We cannot keep up with the movement or shape of the global economy. Other countries just pass laws, they pass policies, we will amend the Constitution to adjust to economic trends worldwide),” he stressed.
Last Monday, the Senate invited legal luminaries, among them former Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Associate Justice Adolf Azcuna, Associate Justice Vicente Mendoza and former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Christian Monsod, to provide their insight on RBH No. 6.
According to Angara, the panel’s future hearings will include a specific session dedicated to the proposed changes to address the barriers to foreign investment to the education sector.
The Senate panel will also invite the framers of the 1987 Constitution: Dr. Bernardo Villegas, Florangel Rosario Braid, and Ricardo Romulo; to speak on the economic aspects: National Scientist Dr. Raul Fabella, Emmanuel Maceda, and Dr. Joseph Angeles, and more legal experts in the next few hearings.