(MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
This was disclosed by Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr., chairman of the House Committee on Constitutional Reform, even as he called on members of the Senate to “keep an open mind” to proposals seeking to amend the economic provisions of the Charter.
Garbin assured senators that the Lower Chamber will concentrate on lifting restrictive economic provisions of the Charter.
“We are not proposing to open the basic law of the land to revisions. We want to limit ourselves to provisions relating to the economy and national patrimony. We will not touch the political sections of the Charter,” said Garbin.
Timing is an important factor in any move to amend the 1987 Constitution, preferably at the start of the one-time, six-year tenure of any Philippine president.
MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO
Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Alfredo Garbin who was elected Wednesday to head the committee said he expects a busy year as the panel will have its hands full conducting hearings and deliberation on 13 pending Charter change proposals.
Garbin gave up his membership in the House of Representative Electoral Tribunal to become chairman of the committee. He replaced as chairman Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, now a deputy speaker.
“Restrictive economic provisions are what we are eyeing (to take up) due to the fact that the same no longer conform to the needs of time,” said Garbin in a text message.