Charter Change

THE Senate has undergone a sea change to its position on Charter change, with the majority of the 23 senators now favoring amending the Constitution’s economic provisions based on an informal survey of the Manila Standard.

CHIEF Justice Renato Corona on Thursday supported amendments to the 1987 Constitution, and in particular the changes to the provisions on business and the economy.

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.

MANILA, Philippines – Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile pitched anew yesterday the need to amend the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution to “spur growth in our industries and businesses” and provide more jobs for Filipinos.

It could have been another Edsa with three personalities who made it possible present in the capacity-filled Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium in RCBC Plaza last Thursday. But nothing of the sort happened. Former President Fidel V. Ramos and now Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile have become tamed by the very politics they had decried when…

A recent Supreme Court decision bearing its judgment on what constitutes capital in the 60-40 Filipino to foreign equity rule concerning foreign investments inspires further commentary on the restrictive economic provisions in the constitution.

The debate on the amendment of the restrictive economic provisions of the Constitution will soon occupy the nation’s attention as the Enrile-Belmonte initiative on this issue enters the legislative stage. Despite a growing national consensus on the issue, powerful forces of opposition will put roadblocks to stop the momentum.

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.

I attended the first Senate committee hearing on Charter change a couple of weeks ago. It was interesting in that each of the speakers, who were experts on the Constitution, focused on a change in the political system—with a strong bias to going parliamentary. The economic sections were dismissed out of hand; changes there are…

The debates on whether to amend the 1987 Constitution are expected to start in the Senate soon, after majority of constitutional law experts supported a revived move for Charter change (Cha-cha).

MANILA, Philippines (PNA) -– The debates on whether or not to change the 1987 Constitution is expected to start in the Senate soon after majority of the majority of constitutional law experts supported a revived move for Charter change.

Proposals for constitutional change are many as they are proposed by various sectors for different reasons. The major proposals are reviewed below including the underlying motives behind them.

Public discussion on the amendment of the constitution ruled the news during the last week. As far as the policy pertaining the attraction of foreign direct investments is concerned, the Philippines is not at par with other countries.

THE House of Representatives will push to convene Congress as a constituent assembly to amend the Constitution, and even though the Palace has said Charter change is not a priority, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said Thursday.

MANILA, Philippines—For now, Charter change is not among the priorities of the House of Representatives, saying it needs ample time to be debated in plenary, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said Thursday.

Here we go again. Some people want to dance the Cha cha again. Cha cha is of course the adopted moniker for Charter change, a revision of the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

MANILA, Philippines –  To jumpstart the process of amending the 1987 Constitution without making the issue divisive, Charter change (Cha-cha) proponents in the House of Representatives said they would limit the debates to economic provisions that urgently need reforms.

FIFTY-TWO party-list lawmakers on Tuesday opposed the convening of a constituent assembly to amend the Constitution, saying they feared their positions would be abolished.

Despite the odds, with President Aquino and the Senate leadership thumbing down discussions on Charter change (Cha-cha) at this time, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago has set the ball rolling on the matter Cha-cha on the Senate, insisting on the need the determine the public pulse and the necessity, if there is indeed any, of amending the…

HOUSE leaders on Monday vowed to convene Congress into a constituent assembly to amend the Constitution this year, saying it is a safer and more economical way to bring about reforms than a constitutional convention.

MANILA, Philippines – Lawmakers are pushing for the creation of a broad multisectoral alliance to boost the campaign to amend the 1987 Constitution.

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III’s allies on Sunday vowed to push economic amendments to the Constitution, saying now was the time to do it because the President had given his assurance he did not plan to stay in power beyond his six-year term.

Former President Arroyo, today a bonafide congressman representing Pampanga’s second district, has caused a political stir in her recent move of filing a resolution in the House of Representatives calling for a constitutional change through a constitutional convention (con-con), succeeding in getting her political foes and allies to react and take her seriously in her…

Malacañang on Friday said that President Benigno Aquino 3rd was considering proposed amendments to the 1987 Constitution.

MANILA, Philippines – Trade Secretary Peter B. Favila is pushing for constitutional amendments to encourage more foreign firms to invest in the country.

MANILA, Philippines – A committee of the House of Representatives has approved a P2-billion allocation for the holding of a constitutional convention (con-con) at the same time with the holding of barangay elections in October 2010.

THE House is gearing for plenary debates on a resolution calling for a Constitutional Convention and the election of 250 delegates to amend the Constitution.

MANILA, Philippines – The committee on constitutional amendments of the House of Representatives voted 6-1 and approved a resolution allowing the election of delegates for a constitutional convention (con-con) simultaneous with the May 2010 elections.

MANILA, Philippines – Most Filipino adults would oppose moves to amend the Constitution if the changes would extend the term of President Arroyo beyond 2010, results of a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed.

Opposition to Charter change continues to mount, especially when such amendment to the Constitution would allow President Gloria Arroyo to remain in power even after the expiration of her term next year.