The Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection on Tuesday urged lawmakers that if they are bent on pushing to revise the constitution, they should think of the effects it would bring to the transport sector.

This after some lawmakers from Congress and Senate are devising ways to pursue charter change even after the Commission on Elections have suspended all procedures related to People's Initiatives aimed at revising the Constitution.

"Ano ang stand ng mga nagsusulong ng Charter change pagdating sa public transport? May epekto ba ang charter change, kung sakaling matuloy, sa public transportation? (What is their position when it comes to public transport? Does charter change have effects to public transport?)," the questions raised by Atty. Ariel Inton head of LCSP.

Inton said whether lawmakers are inclined to amend some of the “economic provisions"or update the entire constitution, the fate of public transport must be considered first.

The LCSP he added will always defend public transportation as a "protected industry" that "has nationality requirement of 60/40 percent Filipino ownership."

Inton said lawmakers have already attempted to scrap as public utility the public transport through R.A. 11659 or Amendments to the Public Service Act which allow a 100 percent foreign ownership to public transport.

However, the transport sector have objected the same as the R.A. 11659 will displaced many Filipino owners of public transport.

"Kung totoong ang nais ng mga nagsusulong ng charter change ay baguhin ang ilang "economic provisions" ng konstitusyon, sigurado na tinitingnan nila ang probisyong ito. Pero kung na-amendahan na ang Public Service Act (at hindi na challenge ang constitutionality nito sa Korte Suprema) alin sa mga "protected industries" ang gusto nilang buksan para sa 100% foreign ownership?" Inton asked.

The lawyer added that opening the protected industry to 100 percent ownership should be discussed thoroughly.

"Hindi ito paramihan lang ng boto. Dapat ay masusing pinag aaralan. Kaya ang stand ng LCSP, kung tatangalin ang public transport bilang public utility at ibibukas ng 100 percent na foreign owned ay tututulan ng ito LCSP," Inton declared.