Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has reiterated the commitment of the House of Representatives to focusing solely on amending the “restrictive” economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution, with the aim of creating an inclusive economy that serves the welfare of all Filipinos.
“The House’s objective is economic reforms for the entire Philippines, ensuring that an all-inclusive economy benefits everyone,” Romualdez stated in Filipino during an interview with reporters on the sidelines of the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) in Tawi-Tawi province recently.
The leader of the 300-plus-strong legislative chamber made this statement in response to questions about the Senate’s perceived opposition to constitutional reforms under the leadership of Senate President Chiz Escudero.
Romualdez said he will find out the Senate’s direction on economic constitutional amendments after meeting its new leader.
“Well, let’s wait and see because we haven’t talked yet, we haven’t had a meeting,” he said.
In March, the House approved on final reading Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 7, which seeks to relax foreign ownership restrictions in three key sectors – public utilities, higher education, and advertising.
RBH No. 7 aims to adapt to global economic changes while protecting national interests, calling for a more open and robust economy to create more jobs and ensure a prosperous future for all Filipinos.
A similar measure—RBH No. 6—is pending with a Senate subcommittee, which recently held a public consultation in Baguio City to gauge people’s sentiments on proposed amendments to economic constitutional provisions.
Asked about his hopes for the new Senate leadership’s priorities, Romualdez emphasized the importance of passing the measures outlined by the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in his State of the Nation Address.
He also expressed hope that the Escudero-led Senate will swiftly act on the numerous local bills already approved by the House.
“Just finish the priority LEDAC measures, the SONA measures requested by our President,” Romualdez requested the Senate. “But of course, you can see all of us congressmen here, all of our local bills, we have many local bills for our concerns, I hope they (senators) finish those.”
On the part of the House, Romualdez cited its productivity and success in passing all significant measures.
“Yes, 100 percent,” the Speaker said when asked about the House’s action on LEDAC and SONA priorities. “All of that, the latest was the amendments to the Procurement Act so the implementation of our government programs and projects will be faster.”
He also highlighted the importance of democratic processes in addressing challenges with the new Senate leadership, and welcomed the opportunity for collaboration and a robust exchange of ideas between the two chambers of Congress. ||
