Aklan Rep. Teodorico Haresco Jr. on Sunday said the Philippines needs to revisit the 1987 Constitution to boost its competitiveness and attract more foreign direct investment, citing the amendments undertaken by other ASEAN countries as a benchmark.
While nations such as Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand, have adjusted their constitutions to reflect the evolving global landscape, the Philippines’ fundamental law has remained stagnant for 37 years, the lawmaker said.
The stagnation has resulted in the Philippines falling behind its regional counterparts, both economically and politically, Haresco said.
“Sila po sa Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, members of ASEAN, they have changed their constitutions so many times. Thailand, 20 times silang nagkaroon ng constitution; Indonesia, 9 times; Malaysia, so many times,” he said.
The revisions reflected the proactive approach of these nations in addressing contemporary challenges and leveraging opportunities in the global arena, he noted.
He said the hesitance to revisit the 1987 Constitution originates from an unfounded fear that it would disrupt societal harmony.
“We base our assumption that if we open up the discussion on the Constitution, we’d break up our society. That is completely untrue,” he added.
He argued that countries, such as the United States, with a dynamic economy, have demonstrated the flexibility of constitutional frameworks to accommodate modern demands without jeopardizing social cohesion.