Pangilinan takes helm of Senate panel on constitutional amendments

Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has been named chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes, taking on the role alongside his current post as head of the agriculture, food, and agrarian reform panel.

The appointment was announced during the Senate’s plenary session on Tuesday, 12 August. Pangilinan thanked his colleagues for the trust and pledged to lead with “humility and a firm resolve to safeguard the democratic ideals enshrined in our Constitution.”

“We will uphold democratic principles and guarantee a consultative and transparent process in any proposed changes to our Constitution,” he said. “The Constitution belongs to the people, and any move to change it must be anchored on their aspirations and welfare. It must also undergo a thorough, principled, and participatory process.”

Pangilinan said his leadership will focus on holding public consultations nationwide, drawing input from constitutional experts, civil society organizations, business leaders, local government officials, and ordinary citizens. He said these discussions will help gauge public sentiment on possible political and economic amendments, methods for amending the Charter, and the broader social and political implications of reform.

The senator is no stranger to the committee, having chaired it during his previous three Senate terms, where he oversaw debates on Charter change.

Since first entering the Senate in 2001, Pangilinan has championed legislation on justice, agriculture, constitutional reform, and the empowerment of marginalized sectors.

Now heading two major Senate committees, Pangilinan said he will rely on his more than two decades of experience as a lawyer and lawmaker to address both the nation’s agricultural needs and the complexities of constitutional reform.