‘No need to amend economic provisions of Constitution’

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang remains convinced there is no need at the moment to amend the economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution to spur economic growth as proposed by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

“As far as the executive branch is concerned, we believe that the economic provisions in the Constitution can still pave the way for further economic development,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda stressed yesterday.

He said the administration of President Aquino believes that what’s more urgent is cleaning up the bureaucracy and providing a level playing field for all stakeholders and potential investors, whether local or foreign.

“We are going to, like we said other than amending the Constitution, provide a level playing field. We believe that we can improve our revenue collection and that will be a way for us to also get investment grade status,” Lacierda added.

“We’ll make our rules more investment-friendly and most importantly, we have taken away the graft-ridden process of bidding insofar as government transactions are concerned. And we have also plugged the leakages in tax collection, revenue collections,” he stressed.

“I think economically, we can do that and this is also our response to credit rating agencies who are saying that we’re not going to get investment grade status until we raise our taxes,” Lacierda pointed out.

Enrile, who is now on his last term as senator, has renewed his proposal to amend the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution to “spur growth in our industries and businesses” and provide more jobs for Filipinos.

“This very important issue must be debated on openly and intelligently as we try to help infuse the economy with sufficient stimuli that will spur growth,” he said during the opening of the second regular session of the 15th Congress at the Senate.

“In my humble opinion, congressional action on this proposition may not come soon enough but now is the appropriate time, not later, to lay it down on the table. As elected officials, we should be bold enough… to finally discuss the need to initiate this,” he added.

Senators Loren Legarda, Joker Arroyo and Pia Cayetano and minority leader Alan Peter Cayetano said they are open to subjecting Enrile’s proposal to debate.

“Discuss it? Why not? We should talk about it so we would be enlightened,” Legarda said.

“I’m not saying that I’m in favor of Cha-cha (Charter change), I’m in favor of discussing it, then we will wait and see,” she added.

“I believe it is the job of every legislator to have an open mind on not just the laws but also the constitutional provisions; now when we say open mind, we should look into all the provisions and listen to experts,” Pia Cayetano said.

“It’s a recycled proposal. Every year since 1987 that is raised. Bagong luma yun (a new old thing),” Arroyo said.

Majority leader Vicente Sotto III, for his part, advised his colleagues to treat the issue with caution. “It depends on what they want to do with the Charter on whether they will amend some provisions or the entire Charter,” Sotto said.

He said amending the economic provisions of the Constitution might spawn more proposals for amendments to other provisions.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, for his part, said any amendment should be discussed while the Aquino administration is still relatively new. –Delon Porcalla (The Philippine Star)