Members of the House of Representatives have initiated their own resolution, proposing amendments to certain economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution, which they aim to pass "as soon as possible."
Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Deputy Speaker David Suarez, and Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe led the filing on Monday of Resolution of Both Houses 7, which aims to alter Articles XII, XIV, and XVI--the same provisions the Senate wants to amend under its RBH 6.
House's RBH 7 mirrors Senate's RBH 6, seeking to relax the economic restrictions on foreign ownership in public services, education, and the advertising industry of the 37-year-old Charter, said to be hindering the country's economic potential.
"The nation's economic policy must be reframed under the demands of this increasingly globalized age, while still protecting the general policy of Filipino-first that guides the economic provisions of the Constitution," the resolution reads.
Identical to RBH 6, RBH 7 will convene the two chambers of Congress, the House, and the Senate, into a constituent assembly, or con-ass, in which they will vote as one body to propose constitutional amendments.
Both measures restate the provision of the Constitution that Congress may propose amendments "upon a vote of three-fourths of all its members."
Under Article 17 of the Constitution, the Charter could only be amended or revised through a constitutional convention, con-ass, or a people's initiative.
Dalipe said the House mimicked the Senate's RBH 6 to ward off insinuations that their proposal will go beyond economic provisions.
"As I mentioned earlier, the provisions which we placed here is exactly the same (as) what the Senate placed, so that there are no other stories, or there are no other thoughts or fears, and no doubt. We have really patterned it because they might say there is another version of RBH No. 6," Dalipe said.
In March last year, the House passed RBH 6, which calls for a con-con to propose amendments to, or revision of, the Constitution, but it languished in the Senate.
This prompted the House to announce its renewed attempt for Charter change in December last year, which the Senate vehemently opposed. It wasn't until the latter was asked to take the lead in reviewing the economic provisions by no less than President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
While RBH 7 is likely to exert pressure in the Senate's timeline, House leaders pledge to remain "supportive" and "optimistic" for the approval of the upper chamber's RBH 6.
House members have been prodding the Senate to beat their initial self-imposed deadline by winding up the deliberation of RBH 6 before Congress goes on Holy Week break in March in fear that the move might be tainted with political interest should it passed by October, in preparation of mid-term election.
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, however, asserted that the Senate would not be badgered to take shortcuts in tackling the measure as it "cannot be rushed like any regular bill that is just approved without thinking."
The House and the Senate are still embroiled in a rhetorical duel over their beef in the contentious effort to amend the restrictive provisions of the Constitution even after reaching a truce earlier this month.