MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers in the House of Representatives are urging the Senate to join them “in unlocking the nation’s full potential” by considering the passage of the proposed amendments to the 1987 Constitution’s restrictive economic provisions.
In a statement on Sunday, members of the lower chamber’s so-called “young guns” appealed to their counterparts to approve the measure, which the House already passed on the third and final reading last March.
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“We urge the Senate to join us in unlocking our nation’s full potential and ensuring sustained economic growth through constitutional economic amendments. By attracting foreign investments and fostering a competitive, inclusive business environment, we can generate more jobs for Filipinos,” 1-Rider Partylist Rep. Rodge Gutierrez, a lawyer, said.
Gutierrez, along with Zambales 1st District Rep. Jay Khonghun, La Union 1st District Rep. Paolo Ortega V, Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, and Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Jil Bongalon, issued a joint statement following the results of the survey taken by data research Tangere from May 21 to 25.
The survey showed that 57 percent of Filipinos support the proposed economic Charter change or Cha-cha.
“In this era of fast global digitalization, the Philippines needs to level up by trying to compete, or at least be at par with advanced economies. We are sorely lacking infrastructure, which is why our Asian neighbors left us behind,” Khonghun, who heads the committee on bases conversion, said.
“After nearly 40 years since the post-Marcos Sr. era, do we need a status quo? We have seen our neighbors progress. We have been a laggard; that’s the hard truth. But do we need to be a laggard forever?” Ortega, on the other hand, said.
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Echoing these statements, Adiong, head of the House Ad Hoc Committee on Marawi Rehabilitation and Victims Compensation, said there is a need to wake up “from the long slumber.”
“Don’t we need to catch up? Can we not entertain change at all? Can we not try something new?” Status quo is the last thing we need. We have to wake up from our long slumber, so to speak,” Adiong said.
“We need some economic adjustments to keep pace with the demands of the global economy. Opening specific economic provisions can create a more dynamic and resilient economy facing future challenges. The proposal will help attract more foreign direct investments crucial for the Philippines’ financial expansion and infrastructure development,” Bongalon, for his part, added.
Based on the survey, the number of people supporting the economic Cha-cha increased by two percent compared to previous results.
It added that 1,500 individuals participated in the survey, with most supporters from Metro Manila, Southern Luzon, and the Bicol region.