Swift passage of RBH 7 seen

THE chairman of the House panel working on a resolution to amend economic provisions of the Constitution said he was hopeful that it would be approved before Congress goes on its Holy Week break this month.

«I am confident that under the leadership of Speaker Martin Romualdez, RBH 7 will be approved by three-fourths votes of the House at the plenary before» the Holy Week break on March 23, said Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, chairman of the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments.

He was referring to Resolution of Both Houses 7 (RBH 7), which, like RBH 6 filed at the Senate, seeks to amend certain economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution.

Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr. had said the House would hold three hearings weekly and try to obtain a vote before the Holy Week break.

On Thursday, Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said there would be sufficient time for the public to study the proposed changes to the Constitution if the plebiscite is held simultaneously with the 2025 elections.

House Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin also said there was ample time for «very extensive and exhaustive» discussions on the proposed amendments through the plenary sessions and different platforms.

The House Committee of the Whole started deliberations on RBH 7 on Monday.

The Makabayan bloc of lawmakers, composed of ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Women's Party Rep. Arlene Brosas and Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel, is against efforts to amend the Constitution's economic provisions.

«We think this is not the time,» Brosas said last week.

RBH 6 and 7 seek the same amendments.

Like RBH 6, RBH 7 covered Article XII (Section 11), Article XIV (paragraph 2 of Section 4), and Article XVI (paragraph 2 of Section 11).

Both resolutions seek to add the words «unless otherwise provided by law» to these provisions. Both RBHs also seek to add the word «basic» before the words «educational institutions» in the first sentence of paragraph 2, Section 4 of Article XIV.

An approved committee report would have to be sent by the House Committee of the Whole to the House plenary, which would