THE HOUSE of Representatives has committed to support and adopt the Senate’s Resolution of Both Houses 6 on amendments to specific economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution.
The commitment was contained in a letter sent by House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Thursday evening.
Romualdez’s letter began with excerpts from his opening statement during the resumption of sessions on Monday, wherein he emphasized the urgency of facilitating the “entry of foreign capital and direct investments” into the country’s economy by carefully scrutinizing “pertinent economic provisions” of the Constitution to “eliminate the barriers that restrict potential growth.”
He said the House welcomes the Senate’s decision to consider charter change through RBH 6, which signals a “strong sense of unity and purpose.”
The Congress of the Philippines, now acting as one body, will eventually fulfill the call for a reformed, responsive, and results-oriented constitutional framework, the Speaker said on Monday.
“Given the above statements and in conjunction with the commitment of the Senate when we met prior to the vin d’ honneur last Jan. 11, 2024, this Representation as the head of the House of the People, together with all the Deputy Speakers, Majority Leader, and Minority Leader reiterates our FULL SUPPORT with the Senate in their filing and eventual passage of Resolution of Both Houses No. 6,” Romualdez said in his letter to Zubiri.
“We await the approval of the Senate of RBH No. 6, and we commit to adopt this measure pertaining to the amendments of the economic provisions of the Constitution.”
Romualdez also pledged to support an “alternative People’s Initiative” led by the Senate with the proposition on amendments to the restrictive economic provisions of the Constitution.
“We stand at a historic juncture, where cooperations and collective resolve are paramount. We will transcend past barriers to reform, charting a course towards a future where every Filipino can partake in the nation’s prosperity,” he said.
“In uniting under our values and principles, the leaders of the House of Representatives, recommit ourselves to the service of our people and the democratic ideals we are sworn to uphold. Together, we are steadfast in our resolve to cultivate a nation where democracy flourishes, economies thrive, and every Filipino is empowered to realize their fullest potential.”
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. earlier said the government is looking into the possibility of introducing economic reforms to attract more foreign investments.
In an interview aired over GMA News’ 24 Oras on Jan. 23, Marcos reiterated the need for economic reforms to entice more foreign investors to explore or expand their business in the Philippines.
“The 1987 Constitution was not written for a globalized world. And that’s the way that is where we are now. We have to adjust so that we can increase the economic activities in the Philippines. We can attract more foreign investors,” he said.
Marcos, however, said he is not in favor of foreign ownership of lands.
He also emphasized the need to identify “all the strategic areas that we cannot allow to be influenced by foreign entity, be it a corporation or another country.” (Jose Cielito Reganit)
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