House Speaker Martin "Mr. Rice" Romualdez (2nd from right) and Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero witness the signing of the "Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act". (Speaker’s office)

House Speaker Martin Romualdez has finally met with his newly-installed counterpart in the upper chamber, Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero, the former confirmed to reporters on Tuesday, June 4 .

In a chance interview, Romualdez said he and Escudero were able to talk to each other in Malacañang on Monday, June 3, on the sidelines of the singing of the "Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act". 

It was the first meeting between the two leaders ever since Escudero was elected Senate President on May 20. 

But surprisingly, the proposed economic Charter change (Cha-cha)--arguably the most contentious issue in the legislature--wasn't tackled during their meeting. At least, "Not specifically," according to Romualdez. 

"Pero syempre isa pa rin naman na naka-pending yung RBH (Resolution of Both Houses) No.6 sa Senate saka yung RBH No.7, so we’ll get to that," confidently said the House leader, who uses the moniker "Mr. Rice". 

(But of course, one of the pending measures in the Senate is RBH No.6, and also RBH No.7, so we'll get to that.) 

The Senate’s proposal to tweak the supposedly restrictive economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution is embodied in RBH No.6. It was filed by erstwhile Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, who Escudero replaced. 

While RBH No.6 remains pending at the subcommittee level, the House of Representatives' version, RBH No.7, has already been passed on third and final reason. 

The meeting between the leader of the bicameral legislature was supposed to give clarity on the fate of economic Cha-cha in the 19th Congress, which only has one year to go. 

"Maganda po naman ang usapan natin ni Senate President (The Senate President and I had a good talk)," Romualdez, Leyte's 1st district representative, said in the same interview. 

"Although hindi full-out meeting, nag-agree kami na ni Senate President that even before the LEDAC [meeting] na sa third week ng buwan na to, mag-usap tayo," Romualdez said. 

(Although it's not a full-out meeting, the Senate President and I agreed that even before the LEDAC meeting on the third week of this month, we should meet.) 

LEDAC stands for Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council.

"Ah syempre naman yung (Of course the) coordination between SP and myself of course, we have each other’s numbers, tapos yung majority niya (and his majority)...[Senate] Majority Leader Tol Tolentino, and [House] Majority [Leader] Mannix Dalipe may coordination din, so mukhang ano (there should have coordination too, so it looks like), we’re on our way," Romualdez said. 

"We will allow the Senate to fully organize itself or reorganize itself and the common legislative agenda will be outlined as well as the priority legislation," he furthered said.