Rodriguez blames Senate inaction on Cha-cha bills why PI gained traction

MANILA, Philippines — The People’s Initiative (PI) to amend the 1987 Constitution was borne out of Filipinos growing tired of the Senate’s inaction on Charter change bills, Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said on Wednesday.

Rodriguez, chairperson of the House committee on constitutional amendments, explained that while the House has always respected the bicameral nature of the Congress, the Senate failed to act on Charter change proposals until two weeks ago — when the PI signature campaign gained traction.

With bills languishing in the Senate, Rodriguez said people’s organizations have placed the matter into their own hands — putting the Senate in a problematic position.

“We have always respected bicameralism. But our proposals and insistent appeals for them to consider Charter reform had invariably fallen on deaf ears until two weeks ago when my beloved Senate president from Mindanao announced their change of heart because they are already feeling the heat from our people,” he said in a statement.

“Senators have put themselves in a problematic situation for which they have only themselves to blame. They have consistently ignored the people’s clamor for Charter reform voiced through their elected district representatives until the people decided to take matters into their own hands,” he added.

Rodriguez also said that if both the House and the Senate are serious about discussing charter change proposals, both chambers can finish talks on the proposals before Congress goes on a break by March 23.

Under the session’s calendar, Congress can hold sessions until March 22 and adjourn for the Holy Week, from March 23 to April 28.

“We welcome the change of heart on the part of our senators on Charter change. If they are serious, we should target to conclude this effort, which the House has been advocating since the 8th Congress, before we go on our Holy Week break on March 23,” Rodriguez said.

“Instead of wasting their time on seeing and fearing ghosts and no-el (no elections) scenarios where there are none in the ongoing people’s initiative, senators should work with us on changes in the economic provisions. That may ease the pressure from our people for them to act on Charter reform,” he added.

As early as March 2023, the House passed Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 6 and its accompanying law in a bid to amend the Constitution.  Last December 2023 — months after RBH No. 6 was passed — Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. called for the resumption of charter change talks to fix restrictive economic provisions and allow more foreign direct investments (FDIs) to come in.

READ: House OKs reso calling for Con-con to amend 1987 Constitution on third reading 

However, since the Senate has failed to act on RBH No. 6, Gonzales said they may hear petitions from the people — a People’s Initiative.  Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri previously said that he, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. have agreed that the Senate would just initiate talks on charter change by filing their own version of RBH No. 6.

But on Tuesday, there were reports that many senators are no longer interested in pushing for RBH No. 6 as House leaders were behind the PI.  All 24 senators also signed a manifesto rejecting the PI amid concerns over the petition pushing for joint voting of proposed amendments once it is up for ratification.

Senators fear that having joint voting would disregard the Senate’s stand, as over 300 lawmakers can easily overpower the vote of 24 senators.

READ: Senate manifesto nixes people’s initiative, warns of no-el scenario 

Despite these talks and banters, Rodriguez hopes the Senate reconsiders RBH No. 6, as there is really a need to amend the Constitution.

“I hope that they will reconsider and proceed with RBH 6 so that we Will work together to approve their proposed 3 economic amendments, which we need to open our country to more FDIs, more job opportunities, and more corporate taxes to finance our social programs,” he said.

“We have to do it as early as possible, lest we miss the boat on enticing foreign investors if we have not missed it yet. As it is, we are now No. 8 in foreign direct investments in the 10-member ASEAN. Alarmingly, we have already been overtaken by Vietnam and Cambodia. We are only ahead of Laos and Myanmar,” he said.