By Junex Doronio
MANILA — While the Senate and the House of Representatives have to finalize the mode of effecting charter change (Cha-Cha), Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez has admitted that it could also be an opportunity to amend portions of the Constitution to strengthen the country’s territorial integrity.
Talks of Cha-Cha resurfaced after Romualdez and Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. confirmed that the House leadership intended to tackle charter change proposals by early 2024.
“That’s why we will exhaust all means — not only to open up the Constitution to further encourage more foreign direct investments so that more jobs [and] livelihood would be created in the country, giving better lives and livelihood to all Filipinos, but we shall also further the ends of our interest internationally by enforcing our territorial integrity,” Romualdez said.
He added that Cha-Cha is aimed to materialize the turnover of investment pledges from foreign businesses secured from foreign trips of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
Romualdez said he believes that amending the Constitution would open up the economy.
On Tuesday, December 19, Romualdez revealed in an interview with Radyo 630 that Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri will support moves to amend the Constitution through a people’s initiative or PI.
The Speaker from Leyte said Zubiri is amenable with PI — one of the three charter change methodologies available in the country. The other two are Constitutional Assembly (Con-Ass) and Constitutional Convention (Con-Con).
(IA/MNM)
