MANILA, Philippines – Consultative Committee (Con-Com) chairperson and former Supreme Court chief justice Renato Puno has asked Malacañang to appoint more women and economic experts to the body tasked to review the 1987 Constitution.

“I have requested from the Office of the President that, in filling up the remaining 6 slots, due consideration should be given to more women members, members coming from the economists, fiscal experts,” Puno said in a media interview on Thursday, February 8.

Puno also wants more “experts from international law and foreign relations, and even the military” in the Con-Com.

The Con-Com, created through Executive Order 10 on December 7, 2016, still lacks 6 members to complete the 25-member body. At present, Susan Ubalde-Ordinario is the only one woman in the Con-Com.

The members of the Con-Com, who met for the first time at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), will take their oath in Malacañang on February 13.

Puno is targeting February 19 to start work on the recommendations.

He described the Thursday meeting as an “acquaintance party” and “preparatory meeting.”

More IPs, youth

Another Con-Com member, former Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr, thinks that aside from more women representatives, there should also be more representatives from indigenous peoples and the youth in the committee.

“Let us have more women representation and more IPs (indigenous peoples) so that we can hear the broader sector of our society give their inputs on the proposal,” Pimentel said after emerging from the meeting.

He said there was “certainly” a need for youth representation, considering the advanced age of many of the Con-Com members.

Other viewpoints

Both Puno and Pimentel admitted that most of the Con-Com members are pro-federalism.

Asked if this dominant sentiment means they would likely propose a federal constitution, Puno said, “I suppose so, but it’s hard to tell at this juncture what model of federalism will be endorsed by the committee.”

Will they push for membership of experts who are against federalism but open to changing some provisions of the 1987 Constitution? Puno said the manner by which such voices are to be included in the discussion will still be taken up by the committee.

He said the committee is open to listening to such stances. “Personally, and this is also the thinking of the members, we are open, we welcome discussion of opposite views,” said Puno.

Pimentel, himself a strong advocate for federalism, agreed.

“It does not mean we should not listen to those who do not believe that we should have the federalist structure in the government today because that’s what democracy is all about. You have to hear people who might disagree with your proposal,” Pimentel said.

The committee aims to submit its recommendations to President Rodrigo Duterte by his 3rd State of the Nation Address on July 23.

Once the recommendations are submitted, the committee will be dissolved. – Rappler.com