In-House survey shows solons in favor of Charter change

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte yesterday said that the House of Representatives is going to push through with the proposed amendments to the economic provisions of the Constitution even as an ongoing survey among lawmakers showed that there are currently 68 percent or 153 lawmakers who are in favor of amending the Charter.

Only 29.60 percent or 66 congressmen are against the proposal particularly on the question of timing. Four or 1.79 percent of the respondent-congressmen was undecided.

The lawmakers were responding to the question: “Do you agree it is time to amend only the Constitution’s economic provision?”

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile had met several times to discuss the issue of amending the economic provisions of the Constitution.

According to House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II, Belmonte and Enrile are convinced that this is the time to amend the Charter because both are looking forward to their legacy to the Filipino people.

Also asked in the survey was whether the Constitution should allow foreign investors equal opportunity as their Filipino counterparts in land ownership and corporate equity.

Earlier, Misamis Occidental Rep. Loreto Leo Ocampos, chairman of the House committee on constitutional amendments, said that relaxing the economic provisions would allow the influx of foreign investments in a few years.

Ocampos’ panel is set to discuss House Concurrent Resolution No. 10 which, if approved, would convene both Houses of Congress into a Constituent Assembly.

Belmonte said that despite the non-inclusion of the issue of Charter change in the Ledac agenda, the House is going to pursue the proposal.

“We will continue to fine tune what we have there. The Senate will take it up. This is something that we will not drop,” said Belmonte.

Member of the House minority bloc including Deputy Minority Leaders Simeon Datumanong of Maguindanao and Ma. Milagros Magsaysay of Zambales also backed the proposal. Gerry Baldo, Daily Tribune