Charter change resolutions have safety nets: Cosalan

By Dexter A. See

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The amendments on the economic provisions of the 1987 Philippines Constitution that was initially passed upon by the House committee on constitutional amendments has four safety nets that will guarantee no other changes will be introduced unlike other modes of amending the charter, Rep. Ronald M. Cosalan said here last week.

Cosalan, one of authors of the charter change resolution approved in the House recently, said debates on proposed amendments to the Constitution is the best undertaking because of the four identified safety nets that will guarantee the non-inclusion of amendments to other provisions, particularly lifting of term limits of elected officials.

“The safety nets of the charter change resolution includes the debates in both chambers of Congress, the debates in the bicameral conference committee and eventually the exercise of veto power by the President,” Cosalan stressed.

In contrast, he said amendment of the Constitution through the Constitutional Convention and Constituent Assembly is prone to the insertions of more amendments beyond the economic provisions and the only safety net enshrined on the two modes of amendments is the plebiscite.

Aside from the  safety nets in the current charter change resolution, Cosalan, who is the chairman of the House committee on public works, said limited amendments to the Constitution’s economic provisions will still be subjected to ratification of the Filipino people, thus, anti-charter change advocates need not to worry about their fear of insertions to the approved amendments.

According to him, the proposed amendments to the Constitution’s economic provisions is seen as the ultimate move of the Aquino administration to spur economic growth which will be instrumental in improving the living condition of poor people in the countryside as wealthy foreign investors will be convinced to invest in lucrative business opportunities in the different parts of the archipelago.

By the way things are going, Cosalan said proposed amendments to the economic provisions of the charter will be subjected to plenary debates once Congress resumes regular session on May 5, 2014 after a 2-month break for them to be able to get the sentiments of their constituents on the proposed charter change.

He said he will take advantage of the 2-month break to go around the vegetable-producing province to gather the sentiments and feel the pulse of the people on the on-going debates on the proposed amendments to the economic provisions so that he will be able to bring to the attention of the leaders of Congress the desire of the people on the controversial charter change move.

When asked on the timetable of Congress on how to dispose the proposed amendments, Cosalan said the situation depends on how the plenary debates will be undertaken and the issues to be raised against the introduced amendments, but what is important is the bid to insert other provisions to be amended will be guarded not only in the House of Representatives but also in the Senate and even in the Office of the President.