Reaction of Sen. Nancy Binay on the following issues of the day:

1. AMENDMENTS RE ECONOMIC PROVISIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION VIA CON-ASS If we're talking about amendments to the economic provisions in the Constitution, we've already addressed that in the last Congress with three vital economic liberalization laws that are intended to boost our economy and global competitiveness. Eto 'yung Public Service Act (PSA), Retail Trade Liberalization Act and the Foreign Investments Act. Yung mga nai-introduce nating mga economic reforms ay tugon doon sa mga kakulangan sa probisyon sa Constitution, at sagot sa mga isyu ng foreign equity limitation sa utilities, power, telecoms, transport at aviation, infra, at iba pang sektor. The country is still recovering from the impact of the pandemic, but we're confident these reforms are sufficient to encourage investors and help revitalize our economy.

Alam naman nating divisive masyado ang charter change. Ang kailangan natin eh magkaisa para paghandaan yung posibleng global recession. Dapat doon tayo mag-focus sa mga isyu na direktang nakakabit sa sikmura tulad ng presyo ng mga pangunahing bilihin, mga problema sa agrikultura, tutukan natin ang health sector at bigyang pansin yung mga isyu sa marginalized sectors kagaya ng ating mga magsasaka't mamamalakaya, at talagang mahaba-haba pa ang listahan ng mga problema natin. Kung priorities lang naman po ang pag-uusapan, ang usapin ng Charter Change eh medyo lihis sa kumakalam na sikmura--'di po kasama ang con-ass sa ulam ng bawat pamilyang Pilipino.

2. RCEP RATIFICATION With regard RCEP, yung intention naman niyan is to harmonize the trade agreements of Asean members with big trading partners like China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand--at malaking bagay 'yung mawala ang barriers and restrictions on at least 90% of imported or exported products. Well, from an economic point of view, maraming market opportunities at benefits ang makukuha ng Pilipinas. But we don't want rush things just yet.

Hintayin muna natin pakinggan ang contentious issues sa ilang essential sectors, at kung kelan ito isasalang sa plenaryo para mahimay talaga ang mga katanungan, at mapaghandaan din ng mga ahensya at ibang sektor ang transition. Maipasa man ito on time o hindi, magtutuloy-tuloy pa rin naman ang RCEP, with or without the Philippines. Pero ang pinaka-importante, what we need to know is our readiness for RCEP, and if we have already prepared parallel programs for the labor sector, and subsidies in the agri and production sectors.