"The Senate should honor its word to tackle the Resolution of Both Houses 6 before the end of March; otherwise, the contentious move to amend the 1987 Constitution through people's initiative will be pushed through", a House leader said Tuesday.

Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin pressed the Senate leadership to exercise transparency on its official stand on RBH 6, or its version of the economic Cha-cha bill, citing the urgency of its passage that was perceived to bring down the cost of the commodities that continue to hurt the public's pocket.

"If the Senate doesn't want to move, let's give it to the people. Let's return it to the people's initiative," Garin told the media.

The Iloilo lawmaker stressed that the more the Senate delays the deliberations on the measure, the more Filipino people get the short end of the stick.

"It is clear that the people really need it… As of this point in time, I still cannot hear their exact reasons why they are not tackling RBH 6," Garin lamented.

The House of Representatives is poised to approve on third and final reading of its RBH 7 tomorrow, Wednesday, on the last session day of Congress before it goes into a month-long Holy Week recess.

The Senate, meanwhile, still has about three more hearings left on RBH 6.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, who had expressed aversion to Cha-cha but is now leading the move in compliance with the President's order, assured that they are "on track" in the Senate.

Previously, Zubiri committed to passing RBH 6 before Holy Week break, but not until he changed his tune, stressing they would not succumb to deadline pressure and citing further study needed on their version of the measure.

Reports said the Senate has decided to shelve consideration on RBH 6 until after Holy Week break, which starts this weekend and ends on 28 April.

However, as an obligation to the public, Garin stated that their counterparts in the Senate should work "double time regardless of schedule."

"I really can't see the logic of why the Senate is delaying this matter. Because the primary responsibility of [the] Senate and Congress is to work hard," she averred.

Backing Garin, Lanao del Norte Rep. Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo, chairperson of the House Committee on Muslim Affairs, warned the Senate's time on winding up deliberations on RBH 6 is running out.

Dimaporo expressed the hope that the Senate's cold treatment of the bill is not a delaying tactic.

"I really hope that this is not dribble-dribble politics. At the very least, the Filipino voters deserve to know how our senators stand. It's not like you are acting busy," she said.

House's RBH 7 is a replica of the Senate's RBH 6, with the only distinction being the voting manner.

The House resolution stipulates Congress may propose amendments "upon a vote of three-fourths of all its members," which means voting jointly. The Senate resolution, meanwhile, prescribes "each House voting separately."

Both measures aim to eliminate the restrictions on foreign ownership in public utilities, educational facilities, and the advertising industry, covered under Articles 12, 14, and 16, respectively, which are said to hamper the Philippines' economic potential.

The 24-member Senate has opposed the idea put forth by the House to convene and vote as one body in fear that they will be outnumbered by 300-plus congressmen.