Robin Files Resolution for Separate Voting in Amending Constitution

Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla on Monday filed a resolution seeking to finally address the long-standing issue of whether the Senate and House of Representatives should vote separately or jointly in amending the 1987 Constitution.

In Resolution of Both Houses 7, Padilla sought to amend Section 1 of Article XVII (Amendments or Revisions) in the Constitution to have both houses of Congress voting separately.

"There is a need to amend the aforementioned provision in order to be consistent with the intention of the framers of the Constitution to adopt a bicameral legislature and to leave no room for interpretation as to the manner of voting which over the years have caused disputes among both the Senate and House of Representatives," he said.

Under RBH 7, Padilla proposed that Section 1 of Article XVII be amended to allow any amendment to - or revision of - the 1987 Constitution to be proposed by Congress, "by a vote of three-fourths of both Houses in joint session assembled, voting separately; or a constitutional convention."

In an interview on ANC earlier Monday, Padilla emphasized the issue of voting jointly or separately must be resolved before Congress tackles other aspects of amending the Constitution.

"Kasi hindi matatapos ito, legal question ito. Pati judiciary, maraming comments. Kung ang comments ma-absorb nating lahat ang gulo gulo na. Kaya pwede sana magkaroon tayo ng itong Congress na ito ang 19th Congress matapos ang usaping ito at magkaroon ng finality kung ano ang nasa Art 17 Sec 1 na yan (This is a never-ending legal issue. Even in the judiciary, several comments have been made. If we just absorb those comments, we'll get confused. So I hope the 19th Congress will address this with finality)," he said.

Meanwhile, Padilla stressed anew the need to amend the economic provisions of the Constitution to remove stumbling blocks to progress.

He said that while framers of the 1987 Charter promoted a "Filipino First" principle, this may no longer be fit during the time of globalization - with the Philippines now 13th of 14 economies in the Asia-Pacific in the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Attractiveness Scorecard in 2020.

While Congress passed the Public Services Act to encourage more investments, questions brought before the Supreme Court have been a cause of worry for prospective investors, he added.

"Ito pong hakbang na ito na tunay na aking pinaniniwalaan na makatutulong sa pag-unlad ng ating bansa at makawala po sa tanikala ng pangungutang sapagka't sa usapin ng lohika, pagka may investment ibig sabihin may puhunan. Pag may puhunan may iikot na pera. At pag umikot ang pera magkakaroon po ng trabaho, magkakaroon ng tamang sweldo at magkakaroon ng ibig sabihin ng pagtakbo at pag-ikot ng ekonomiya (This hearing will help our country progress and break free of the chains of debt. When there are investments, there are funds. This will lead to jobs, just wages, and a prosperous economy)," he said.

Resolution ni Robin, Iginiit ang Hiwalay na Pagboto sa Pag-Amyenda ng Saligang Batas

Ihinain ni Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla nitong Lunes ang resolusyon na tutuldok sa matagal nang isyu kung boboto ba ng magkasama o magkahiwalay ang Senado at Kamara sa pag-amyenda ng 1987 Constitution.

Sa Resolution of Both Houses 7, nais ni Padilla na amyendahan ang Section 1 ng Article XVII (Amendments or Revisions) sa Saligang Batas para sa hiwalay na pagboto.

"There is a need to amend the aforementioned provision in order to be consistent with the intention of the framers of the Constitution to adopt a bicameral legislature and to leave no room for interpretation as to the manner of voting which over the years have caused disputes among both the Senate and House of Representatives," aniya.

Sa RBH 7, ang Section 1 ng Article XVII ay aamyendahan para payagan ang pagmungkahi ng Kongreso ng pag-amyenda o pagrebisa sa 1987 Constitution "by a vote of three-fourths of both Houses in joint session assembled, voting separately; or a constitutional convention."

Sa panayam sa ANC, iginiit ni Padilla na ang isyu ng pagboto ng hiwalay o magkasama ay dapat maresolbahan bago talakayin ng Kongreso ang ibang aspeto ng pag-amyenda ng Saligang Batas.

"Kasi hindi matatapos ito, legal question ito. Pati judiciary, maraming comments. Kung ang comments ma-absorb nating lahat ang gulo gulo na. Kaya pwede sana magkaroon tayo ng itong Congress na ito ang 19th Congress matapos ang usaping ito at magkaroon ng finality kung ano ang nasa Art 17 Sec 1 na yan," aniya.

Samantala, iginiit muli ni Padilla ang pangangailangan para amyendahan ang economic provisions ng Saligang Batas para mawala ang hadlang sa progreso.

Aniya, bagama't isinulong ng nagbuo ng 1987 Constitution ang "Filipino First," maaaring hindi na ito angkop sa globalization - kung saan ang Pilipinas ay ika-13 sa 14 ekonomiya sa Asia-Pacific sa Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Attractiveness Scorecard para sa 2020.

Bagama't pinasa ng Kongreso ang Public Services Act para magkaroon ng dagdag na pamumuhunan, nag-aalala ang mga namumuhunan matapos ito kwestyunin sa Korte Suprema, dagdag niya.

"Ito pong hakbang na ito na tunay na aking pinaniniwalaan na makatutulong sa pag-unlad ng ating bansa at makawala po sa tanikala ng pangungutang sapagka't sa usapin ng lohika, pagka may investment ibig sabihin may puhunan. Pag may puhunan may iikot na pera. At pag umikot ang pera magkakaroon po ng trabaho, magkakaroon ng tamang sweldo at magkakaroon ng ibig sabihin ng pagtakbo at pag-ikot ng ekonomiya," aniya.