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Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri
Assistant Minority Leader 1-Rider Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez doesn’t think that Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri’s recent comments serve as the death knell for the proposed economic Charter change (Cha-cha).
According to Gutierrez, Zubiri’s pronouncement that the Senate won’t prioritize passing its economic Cha-cha measure, Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No.6, before sine die adjournment of Congress this month simply affects the “timing” of the endeavor.
“The sentiments of the Senate President, hindi po priority yung constitutional change before sine die adjournment (that constitutional change before sine die adjournment is not a priority), I would say, technically that wouldn’t mean na patay na po iyong economic revisions kasi (that the economic revisions are dead because) I think the question here is only [the] timing,” he said.
“If I stand correctly, the reason…that we were seeking to go through this constitutional amendment as early as possible is to avoid po na madamay po ito ng politika come voting (is to avoid mixing this with politics),” noted Gutierrez.
The ranking congressman was referring to potentially holding the Cha-cha plebiscite during the May 2025 mid-term elections. For constitutional revision proponents in the House of Representatives, holding the plebiscite at the same time as the mid-term polls could muddle the case for economic Cha-cha–or worse–turn it into a political issue.
It was for this reason that these House members aggressively pushed for the plebiscite to be held this year, specifically before the poll aspirants’ filing of certificates of candidacy (COC).
“If we recall doon [under the] Con-Ass (Constituent Assembly) which is the current version that what we’re going for after passing this [in] Congress which is both the House and the Senate, magkakaroon po ng (there’s supposed to be a) plebiscite not earlier than 60 days but not later than the 90 days,” explained Gutierrez.
Last March 20, the House passed on third and final reading RBH No.7, which sought to amend the restrictive economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution through Con-Ass.
The hope was for the Senate to immediately pass its RBH No.6 so that plebiscite could be be this year. But since the measure is still at the subcommittee level, it’s becoming more likely that the plebiscite would be pushed back to next year, if it will take place at all.
“It’s still possible…let’s say hindi po mapasa ito (this won’t be passed) before sine die adjournment, it still possible…like before the end of the election meron tayong pagbobotohan (we will have something to vote on),” he said.
“But unfortunately, this would mean that this could be the political issue already for the next elections kapag pinagsama na po ito (if the polls and plebiscite are dore at the same time),” the 1-Rider Party-list further noted.
The current second regular session of the 19th Congress will adjoun sine die on May 22.
Although there’s a third regular session, the solons are expected to be distracted by their poll aspirations by that time.
“As long as feasible, nandito pa rin po yung House to support. Pero importante lang po talaga sa atin is that the economic provisions ideally will be pursued, para sa bayan naman po ito, para sa tao,” Gutierrez said.
(The House will still be here to provide support. But what’s really important to us is that the economic provisions ideally will be pursued, this is for the country and the people.) — Ellson Quismorio
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Credit belongs to: www.mb.com.ph
