Senator Sonny Angara said on Thursday that the Senate version of the Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) face an uphill climb.
RBH No. 7, which seeks to amend some economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution, was earlier approved by the House of Representatives Angara said RBH No. 6 needs to get 18 votes and pass in the chamber.
RBH No. 7 is almost an exact reproduction of RBH No. 6, introduced by Zubiri and Senators Loren Legarda and Juan Edgardo Angara.
RBH No. 7 and RBH No. 6 are both entitled “A Resolution of Both Houses of Congress proposing amendments to certain economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, particularly on Articles 12, 14 and 16” which cover public services, education, and the advertising industry.
Angara, quoted by reports, further said: “Here in the Senate, it will be a bit of challenge to get 18 votes since most of the senators have spoken out against it.”
The senator, who heads the subcommittee deliberations on RBH No. 6, the Senate’s economic charter change version, said they would continue hearings on the measure that they aim to bring to the plenary before the State of the Nation Address (SONA).
“We’ll just try, okay? For me, it will be education for the public, they will learn what it’s about. Who knows, our colleagues and the public could change their stance,” Angara, quoted by ABS-CBN News, said.
Asked if the Senate would act faster since no provisions were added in RBH No. 7, Angara said, “No. We have our own schedule. We’re moving fast but it’s not our only priority.”
He also described as “good development” the House of Representatives’ transmittal to the Senate of the Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 (RBH 6).
The House of Representatives would adopt the Senate’s Charter change measure – RBN No. 6 – in full and without any changes to dispel doubts on the push to amend restrictive economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution, Speaker Martin Romualdez earlier said.
Angara said he hopes the transmittal is “a sign that the House admits their need for the Senate in this issue.”
Although RBH 7 was already sent to the House, Angara said they would not be pressured to pass RBH 6 in haste.
Angara related they will still bring RBH No. 6 to Senate plenary debates before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his State-of-the Nation Address on the third Monday of July.
He dispelled allegations of delay of charter change in the Senate, stressing this is not only their priority in the Chamber.
According to Angara, he will call for another hearing after the one month break on the Senate.
He hopes that senators opposing charter change moves will change their stand once they hear the arguments and explanations of experts on the issue.