Romualdez tells Zubiri: House majority supports Senate’s RBH 6

House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri (Photos by Niño Jesus Orbeta and Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has sent a letter to his counterpart, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, reiterating the House majority’s support for the upper chamber’s Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 6 which calls for a constituent assembly.

Romualdez’ office sent copies of the Speaker’s letter to Zubiri on Thursday night, which included statements he made during the resumption of Congress’ session on Monday.

The Speaker in his speech lauded the Senate’s move to file RBH No. 6 as it is a strong show of unity, adding that there is a need to review the 1987 Constitution to “address pressing, contemporary issues and introduce reforms”, and “strengthen the relevance and applicability of established laws and policies to align with existing conditions”.

“Given the above statements and in conjunction with the commitment of the Senate when we met prior to the vin d’ honneur last January 11, 2024, this Representation as the head of the House of the People, together with all the Deputy Speaker, Majority Leader, and Minority Leader reiterates our FULL SUPPORT with the Senate in their filing of [RBH No. 6],” Romualdez said in the letter dated January 25.

“We await the approval of the Senate of RBH No. 6 and we commit to adopt this measure pertaining to the amendments of the economic provisions of the Constitution,” he added.

Last December 2023, Romualdez and Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. floated the possibility of discussing charter change proposals anew when session resumes in January 2024, with the goal of amending the 1987 Constitution’s economic provisions.

However, Gonzales said that they may entertain People’s Initiative (PI) proposals since the Senate has failed to act on RBH No. 6 — originally a resolution of the House calling for a constitutional convention, which was passed last March 2023.

After the PI’s signature campaign gained traction early January, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said he, Romualdez, and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed that the Senate would just push for their own version of RBH No. 6.

But on Tuesday, all 24 senators signed a manifesto against the PI, as the campaign asks that the House and the Senate vote jointly on whatever provisions of the Constitution that will be amended.  Should this be the case, the stand of 24 senators can easily be overwhelmed by over 300 lawmakers in the House.

Senator Joel Villanueva also said that many senators no longer want to push RBH No. 6 because the House leadership is supposedly behind the PI campaign. Romualdez and other House officials denied this, with the Speaker himself even noting that he welcomes the Senate’s RBH No. 6 and is willing to work with them in this regard.