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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Gonzales to Senate: Now is the time for economic amendments

Gonzales to Senate: Now is the time for economic amendments

Published Mar 12, 2024 02:59 am

At A Glance

  • Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales Jr. has once again appealed to the Senate to push for the amendment of certain "restrictive" economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution.

IMG-37f53473af0007b50f656d8cc578fce8-V.jpgPampanga 3rd district Rep. Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales Jr. (Facebook)

“There will never be a better time than now.”

Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. had this to say as he once again appealed to the Senate to push for the amendment of certain “restrictive” economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution.

During his sponsorship speech on Monday, March 11 for Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 7, Gonzales told the Senate to work collectively and approve their counterpart measure, RBH No. 6.

“Let us not fail the Filipino people once more. We, in the House of Representatives, have exhausted every step to help our nation,” the ranking House member said.

“It is time to work collectively and in harmony patungo sa Bagong Pilipinas (towards the New Philippines),” he added.

Both RBH No. 6 and 7 propose economic amendments to the Constitution, particularly on relaxing the restrictions in the foreign ownership of public utilities, educational institutions, and advertising companies.

The House of Representatives started their plenary debates on its Charter change (Cha-cha) measure on Monday. It will be up for approval on second reading by Wednesday.

The Senate, meanwhile, is still deliberating its measure on the subcommittee level.

Gonzales, one of the authors of RBH No. 7, urged Senators to “be guided by the legal bases of amending the Constitution” and “recognize the wisdom” of resource persons during the House Committee of the Whole House hearings.

“They are one in saying that emending the economic provisions will pave the way for a better, more thriving Philippines. We need to accept that certain provisions of the 1987 Constitution, as noble and well-intentioned as they are, have already outlived their purpose,” the Pampanga 3rd district representative said.

“Our mission now is to give the Filipino people that life-long dream of progress for our country, which would in turn raise the quality of their lives,” he noted.

Gonzales pointed out that the Constitution empowers Congress to propose amendments “to make the fundamental law of the land responsive to the needs and exigencies of the times".

“It is pursuant to Article 17, Section 1, Paragraph 1, which provides that ‘Any amendment to, or revision of, this Constitution may be proposed by the Congress, upon a vote of three-fourths of all its Members’,” he added.

Related Tags

aurelio dong Gonzales jr. Senate of the Philippines Charter change economic provisions
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