Lawmakers again vow: No Cha-cha insertions

File photo by NIÑO JESUS ORBETA /. Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines — Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. expects shorter proceedings on Resolution of Both Houses No.7 7 (RBH 7) on economic Charter change (Cha-cha) at the plenary this week starting Monday.

Assistant Majority Leader Jefferson Khonghun on Sunday assured there would be no last-minute additions to the proposed economic Cha-cha contained in RBH 7 during the plenary deliberations, with the leadership of the House of Representatives set on pushing for amendments in only three constitutional provisions pertaining to public utilities, education, and advertising.

In a statement, Gonzales, a principal author of RBH 7, said that the House would be sticking to the timeline of approving the third and final reading of the resolution for economic Cha-cha before Congress goes on its Lenten break.

Rush in the House

According to the Pampanga representative, House legislators would start tackling the adoption of RBH 7 at the plenary session on Monday. The resolution was adopted by the Commission of the Whole of the House without amendment after six days of marathon hearings.

READ: House to begin on Monday plenary debates on resolution seeking Cha-cha

“In plenary, the proponents of the economic Charter changes will defend their proposals. The plan is to have three days of debates, with the second-reading vote set shortly after the termination of discussions and the period for amendments on the third day,” Gonzales pointed out.

He added that on Speaker Martin Romualdez’s instruction, the House is sticking with its timeline of approving RBH 7 before the Holy Week and transmitting the resolution to the Senate for approval.