Leaders of Congress set talks on Cha-cha

MANILA, Philippines – Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile had agreed that for now, Congress will only act on proposed amendments to restrictive economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution.

Belmonte said he and Enrile met recently to discuss how the vital pieces of legislation can be passed without delay.

“It’s very preliminary. We talked about how we (House and Senate) can act in concert in approving urgent bills,” he told reporters.

“The fact of the matter is that the Senate President and I have exchanged some notes on it, and I have also consulted the Majority Leader (Mandaluyong Rep. Neptali Gonzales II) on this. We were thinking, is it feasible? …So indeed this kind of atmosphere, the notion that it (Charter change) is highly divisive seems to have been minimized,” Belmonte said.

The leaders of the two chambers have set another meeting, this time including Gonzales and Misamis Occidental Rep. Loreto Leo Ocampos, chairman of the House committee on constitutional amendments.

Enrile is expected to be accompanied by one or two senators to the second meeting.

Ocampos’ committee has been tackling various measures seeking to amend the Constitution, including the bill filed by Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo seeking Charter change through a constitutional convention.

Belmonte, however, said that amendments to the Charter will be limited to amendments to restrictive economic provisions.

The business sector, in particular, is interested in amending the Constitution to allow additional foreign investments into the country.

During yesterday’s Kapihan sa Senado, Enrile said he favors the removal of restrictions on mining, and ownership of land and public utilities.

“Suppose we remove the restrictions on mining, ownership of land and ownership of public utilities and so on and so forth. Who will benefit? The Filipino people. You,” he said.

He likewise favors the amendment of provisions on business ownership by foreigners in the country.

The Charter allows foreigners to own only 40 percent of a corporation based in the Philippines while the remaining 60 percent of the company should be owned by a Filipino.

Enrile also favors the amendment of constitutional provisions pertaining to land ownership by foreigners. At the same time, he wants restrictions put in place.

“We are not opening the floodgates. We are going to have a gatekeeper and it’s up to the people to select the best gatekeeper,” he said.                                                                “There is still no bill on this (land ownership by foreigners in the country). I am just provoking a discussion because in a society, we must discuss these things,” he said.

He also said that at this point, only amendments to the economic provisions in the Constitution would be entertained by both chambers.

“The Speaker and I agreed that it’s time that economic provisions in the Constitution are revised. The government structure will not be touched… Anybody who will present an agenda that is not approved by Congress as an agenda for constitutional revision will not be accepted,” Enrile said.

Belmonte said it was agreed between him and Enrile that the two chambers would vote separately on proposed amendments to the Constitution, the way bills normally pass through the legislative mill.

Lawmakers have been at a deadlock on the issue of Charter change. In the past, leaders of the House of Representatives have insisted that the chambers vote jointly on the approval of the proposed amendments. This means the Senate, which only has 24 members, would be outvoted.

“We are thinking of this in terms of the House tackling it, and the Senate tackling it, and voting on their own and so forth,” Belmonte said.

“And let me just say that the notion of the past Congresses… of using the overwhelming number of the House… I certainly do not entertain any such idea.” –-Paolo Romero (The Philippine Star) with Christina Mendez