No need to meet with House on changing economic provisions, says Zubiri

MANILA, Philippines — There is no longer need for the Senate and the House of Representatives to convene jointly to propose amendments to economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution.

This is according to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, who filed Resolution of Both Houses  (RBH6) No. 6 on Monday, proposing amendments to certain economic provisions of the Constitution.

“No need, we don’t  need to meet,” Zubiri said in a press conference when asked if the  two chambers  would have to meet jointly through a constituent assembly to discuss the proposed amendments.

“And there’s no specific instruction on the Constitution. We can meet separately for  that,” he added.

Article 17 of  the Constitution  simply  states that “Congress upon a vote of three-fourths of all its members” may propose amendments  to or revision  of the 1987 Constitution.

The  two  other methods of proposing amendments or revisions are through a Constitutional convention and via people’s initiative (PI).

On President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s suggestion, the Senate leadership took the lead  in reviewing the economic provisions of the Constitution by  filing  RHB6.

Zubiri said Marcos himself agreed that changing the Constitution through  the PI was “too divisive”  so he asked the Senate to take the lead in the review of the economic provisions.

All these were  discussed when the Senate and House leaderships  met with the President  last January 11,   according to the Senate chief.

“And sabi niya (Marcos) sa akin at kay Speaker, sabi niya, why doesn’t the Senate take the lead in the discussions of the economic provisions and then you approve your version which the House can adopt?” Zubiri recalled  the President  telling them.

“That was the position of the President. Para hindi na tayo maglalagay pa ng kung anu-ano pang mga amendments na sa tingin natin ay magagalit ang taumbayan. So that was quite clear in the meeting,”  he added.