House of Representatives (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

The House of Representatives passed on second reading on Wednesday night, March 13 Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No.7, exactly a week after the pro-Charter change (Cha-cha) hurdled the Committee of the Whole. 

Deputy Majority Leader Mandaluyong City lone district Rep. Neptali "Boyet" Gonzales II made the motion to give penultimate approval to RBH No.7, which seeks to lift the restrictive economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution. 

The measure was declared approved on second reading by presiding officer, Deputy Speaker Cebu 5th district Rep. Vincent Franco "Duke" Frasco following a voice vote, where the "ayes" (yes) drowned out the "nayes" (no). 

With Wednesday's approval, the House was able to follow its pre-announced timeline for passing Cha-cha. 

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The third and final reading passage--to be done via nominal voting or voting one by one--is expected to be carried out next week, before the legislators take their Holy Week break starting March 22. 

This timeline was earlier bared by Gonzales after the 300-plus strong House, acting as a Committee of the Whole, approved RBH No.7 last March 6. Gonzales served as majority leader of the plenary-sized committee. 

The Committee of the Whole spent two weeks debating on the measure, which pushed for the lifting of the economic prohibitions in Articles XII, XIV, and XVI of the existing Charter. Dozens of resource persons from the government and private sector took part in the discussions.

Last Monday, March 11, the House formally began the "plenary debate phase" of RBH No.7. It was terminated during plenary session Wednesday, just before Gonzales moved for its second-reading passage. 

But since the Committee of the Whole already allowed for exhaustive discussions from anyone in plenary, only a handful of solon actually took part in the plenary debate phase. 

RBH No.7's counterpart measure in the Senate--RBH No.6--is still in the undergoing subcommittee proceedings.