Senators hold 1st regional Cha-cha forum in Baguio

Sen. Sonny Angara —Senate PRIB

Sen. Sonny Angara said on Thursday that the Senate committee on Constitutional amendments and revision of codes would be held in Baguio City on May 17, the first of three “regional consultations” on Charter change (Cha-cha).

“Now we will listen to the opinions of the local leaders, business sector, higher educational institutions in the three regions and also provide them with a clearer picture of what the entire exercise is all about. All of these inputs will be taken into account once we conclude our hearings and start working on the committee report,” said Angara in a statement.

Apart from Angara, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, and Senators Christopher Go and Ronald dela Rosa are also expected to attend the Baguio consultation on the proposed amendments to economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution. The meeting will be held at the Lafayette Luxury Suites.

The consultation will be followed by sessions in Cebu City on May 23 and Cagayan de Oro on May 24, which are expected to tackle proposals to relax the foreign equity restrictions on public utilities, higher education and the advertising sector.

Five public hearingsA total of five public hearings have been held by the subcommittee on Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 6.

Filed by Zubiri, Legarda and Angara, RBH No. 6 proposes to amend Section 11, Article XII (National Patrimony and Economy); Paragraph 2, Section 4 of Article XIV (Education, Science and Technology, Arts, Culture and Sports); and Paragraph 2, Section 11 of Article XVI (General Provisions) by inserting the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law.”

The initial hearings of the subcommittee were attended by framers of the 1987 Constitution, who gave their opinions for and against the proposed amendments.

Subsequent hearings tackled public utilities, higher education and advertising sectors, where stakeholders and affected parties shared their views on opening up their industries to foreign investors.