Padilla-led cha-cha move to allow president, VP to serve two four-year terms

Senator Robinhood "Robin" Padilla has proposed a resolution amending the political provisions of the 1987 Constitution that will allow the president and vice president to serve two four-year terms.

In filing Resolution of Both Houses of Congress No. 5, Padilla also proposed amendments to Sec. 4 and 7 of Art. VI (Legislative Department); Sec. 4 of Art. VII (Executive Department); and Sec. 8 of Art. X (Local Government).

Among the notable changes the senator wants is a single ticket for the president and vice president, which would make them "joint candidates."

Padilla, who chairs the Senate panel on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes, explained that the change in the term of office of the president and vice president "will ensure a balance between leadership stability and democratic continuity."

"A joint candidacy for the president and vice president provides for an electoral landscape that will shift its emphasis from individual personalities to the unified policy agenda and will foster a more strategic and effective governance," he said.

The senator's resolution stressed that they "shall not be elected for more than two terms."

"A President who served for two terms shall not be qualified to run for any elective position. Any person who has succeeded the President or Vice President shall only be qualified for one election to the same office at any time," it said.

54 senators

Padilla also wants to increase the number of senators from 24 to 54. Of these, he said 24 senators will be elected "at large," while the remaining 30 are elected by qualified voters from "each legislative region."

"Senators elected at large shall have terms of eight years, but shall not serve for more than two consecutive terms; senators elected by region shall have terms of four years, but shall not serve for more than three consecutive terms," the resolution said.

"Members of the House of Representatives shall be elected for a term of four years, and shall not serve more than three consecutive terms," it added.

Padilla's RBH No. 5 also seeks to provide an additional year in the term of office of elective local officials, making it four years per term.

"The term of office of elective local officials except barangay officials shall be four years. They shall serve no more than three consecutive terms," it said.

Transitory provisions

The resolution includes transitory provisions that prohibit incumbent and past presidents from running for office again.

Incumbent senators on their last terms of office are also not qualified for reelection in the next immediate elections.

Likewise, incumbent members of the House on their third consecutive term of office prior to ratification shall not be eligible for reelection in the next immediate election.

"All local elective officials except barangay elective officials on their third term of office shall not be qualified to be elected for the same position in the immediate elections," it said.

"The first elections of all officials under these amendments shall be synchronized which shall be held on the second Monday of May 2028," it added.

Padilla's resolution was filed on Wednesday, 13 December, a day after Speaker Martin Romualdez announced the House of Representatives' renewed push for amendments to the Constitution.

Romualdez said the push for charter change next year will be focusing on removing the "restrictive" economic provisions in the current charter.

"I believe 2024 will allow us again to revisit the whole issue of the constitution because I think it's timely that we revisit and I say we'd like to focus very much on the economic provisions," he said.

He noted that revisiting the 1987 Constitution "would be our legacy in the 19th Congress."

In March, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading of House Bill 7352, which calls for a constitutional convention or con-con to amend the Constitution.

The House-led con-con did not progress as the Senate declined to entertain such a move, stressing that the measure had no blessings from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The Padilla-led charter change via constituent assembly or con-ass also suffered the same fate in the Senate after failing to get support from his colleagues.