Cloak and dagger still

The previous administration initiated cha-cha, but the economic amendments were contained in a more ambitious campaign for a Federalism shift, which became very complicated.

Congress is getting its act together to relax the rigid economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution, which experts concede will free up the flow of investments in the country, according to President Bongbong Marcos.

Resolution of Both Houses 6 is about to wrap up debates at the Senate while RBH 7 had hurdled second reading at the House of Representatives.

Senate President Miguel Zubiri and Speaker Martin Romualdez were with the President in Prague. Czechoslovakia, where it was likely that the two Congress leaders gave assurance that the economic Charter change was moving smoothly.

PBBM appeared confident about the progress of what is shaping up as his legacy initiative.

For the past few administrations, the restrictive ownership provisions in the Constitution have been identified as a hurdle for drawing foreign capital to the country.

The previous administration initiated cha-cha, but the economic amendments were contained in a more ambitious campaign for a Federalism shift, which became complicated.

A Consultative Committee was formed, headed by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno, that went to the extent of drafting a proposed Federal Constitution, but the campaign stalled after the pandemic hit the world.

When PBBM took over, his agenda was to attract more foreign investments to the country. This is an aspect of the economic landscape where the country lags behind its neighbors despite its strong growth over the years.

The two chambers of Congress appeared to have started on the wrong foot on cha-cha as a bitter feud erupted, each exchanging savage allegations regarding their agenda.

A People’s Initiative was launched that the Senate suspected was the handiwork of the House leadership to exclude senators from voting under a Constituent Assembly or con-ass using the tyranny of numbers.

It took several meetings among PBBM, the Speaker, and the Senate President to sort out the friction that resulted in the Senate taking over the cha-cha lead.

Now, PBBM confidently described the Senate and the House as being on the same page regarding economic cha-cha.

“So, that is the legislative state of play, as it were. The Senate is continuing with the hearings. The House of Representatives has already passed on [the] second reading. What is more important than that for me is that it is practically the same resolution,” PBBM said.

To reinforce goodwill that seems to be still in short supply despite the president’s assurance, the House should exert pressure to stop the PI, which the movement’s legal adviser said continues.

Lawyer Anthony Abad, during an Ateneo Law School forum on cha-cha, admitted that groups are still gathering signatures for PI.

“From what I understand from the groups, they haven’t stopped. They’re still collecting signatures as we speak,” Abad said.

The PI is a fallback if the Senate drags its feet or rejects RBH 6, possibly because of the still shaky equation regarding senators’ support.

Abad said the PI option would be overtaken by events if the Senate and the House passed their versions of the economic cha-cha resolutions that would effectively halt the campaign.

Based on Abad’s narration, the movement will intensify once the Senate rejects proposals to amend the Constitution.

The PI now seems to be a double-barreled gun pointed at the Senate since the proposal to amend the Constitution contained in the signature campaign is not about economic cha-cha but for a single vote for Congress during a con-ass.

A certain measure of coercion is palpable in the PI and is still in play despite the two chambers supposedly being on the same page regarding economic cha-cha.

No wonder people always see images of legislators stabbing each other in the back during the cha-cha push.

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Credit belongs to: tribune.net.ph