House eyes 2nd reading ‘approval’ of economic Cha-cha next week

Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. (Photo from the Facebook account of Ako Bicol)

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives is eyeing to “approve” the proposed economic amendments to the Constitution by next week, Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. said Tuesday.

Garbin, who chairs the House committee on constitutional amendments, said that this is in accordance with the timeline set by House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco to have the measure approved before the sine die adjournment on June 5.

“Considering that we still have seven interpellators, bibigyan sila ng oras until next week and ang target next week is to have it approved on second reading para in time for June 5 adjournment, magiging spat na ito para pagbotohan on third reading,” Garbin said in an interview with reporters.

(Considering that we still have seven interpellators, they will be given time until next week and our target is to have it approved on second reading so that in time for the June 5 adjournment, we have enough time to put it on a third reading vote.)

Resolution of Both Houses No. 2, which seeks to give the next Congress the flexibility to amend the restrictive economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution, is still in the period of interpellation and debates in the House.

It still needs to be approved on second and third reading before it can be transmitted to the Senate where the senators will have their own debate regarding the proposed amendments.

“Sa Senado may pending na proposal filed by four senators and I think they will also look into it and proceed in accordance with the rules on how they will tackle it,” Garbin said.

(There is also a pending proposal filed by four senators in the Senate and I think they will also look into it and proceed in accordance with the rules on how they will tackle it.)

“Ang tingin lang namin dyan at palagi ko tong inuulit na inaantay lang talaga nila yung finished product dito sa House and they want to make sure that the same is only confined to the economic provisions of the Constitution bago sila gumalaw,” he added.

(We think that they are just waiting for the finished product from the House and they want to make sure that the proposals are only  confined to the economic provisions of the Constitution before they make a move.)

Velasco earlier expressed hopes that the lower chamber can approve the proposed economic charter amendments before the June 5 adjournment. If this timeline is to be followed, this means that the House only has roughly three weeks to approve the measure.

JPV