MANILA, Philippines – Senators in the 19th Congress are not keen on tackling proposals to amend the 1987 Constitution, with incoming Senate president Juan Miguel Zubiri saying the chamber would rather focus on economic and health bills in the next 12 months. 

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, July 6, Zubiri said it was still too early to discuss charter change (Cha-Cha) at this point of the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. 

He was reacting to the resolution filed by Pampanga 3rd District Representative Aurelio Gonzales Jr. in the House of Representatives which would amend the Constitution so that the Philippine president would have a five-year term and be allowed to be reelected once. 

The President is currently serving a six-year term with no reelection.

“‘Wag na muna natin pag-usapan yung charter change, na kabago-bago pa lang ng administration. I think it’s too controversial,” said Zubiri, an ally of Marcos.

(Let’s not talk about charter change when the new administration has just started. I think it’s too controversial.)

The presumptive Senate president said he’d rather the chamber focus on bills aiming to address the coronavirus pandemic and its impacts on the economy. 

“‘Yun na muna yung pag-usapan natin kasi galing tayong pandemya, madaming nahihirapan na mga kababayan natin. Hindi pa tapos ang COVID-19, so we have to support the President in his, of course, health program sa darating na mga buwan…. I would say right now that’s (charter change) not our priority,” said Zubiri.

(Let’s talk about these things first because we’re coming from a pandemic and many of our countrymen are still suffering. COVID-19 isn’t over yet, so we have to support the President in his, of course, health program in the coming months… I would say right now that’s not our priority.)

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Other senators were also cold to the proposal to change the term limits for the sitting president. 

Senator Win Gatchalian has filed measures seeking to amend the economic provisions in the Constitution and to propose tandem voting for president and the vice president. 

But he conceded now is not the time to talk about charter change, noting such an undertaking would eat up a lot of time in Senate and in the House. 

“Right now my personal views on charter change is timing. With what is happening in our. Country in regards to inflation, in regards to the increasing prices of oil, may food security issue tayo – we should focus on these issues at hand,” Gatchalian told reporters. 

Senator Jinggoy Estrada said he is against “any and all moves to amend the term limits provision of the Constitution.”

“While I have yet to read Cong. Gonzales’ proposed measure, I am sure that many will agree with me that not only is it premature, it is likely to be misconstrued as self-serving,” Estrada said in a statement. 

Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, who is set to be the next minority leader, also rejected charter change for now. 

“Hinay-hinay po tayo sa (Let’s slow down on) constitutional amendments. The problems we are facing as a people and as a society are not caused by the length of the terms of elective officials… Do not rush but start or re-start the discussion,” Pimentel said. 

What happened with Cha-Cha in the Senate before?

This isn’t the first time for the Senate not to support charter change efforts led by their counterparts in the House.

In the previous 17th and 18th Congress under the Duterte government, administration allies tried several times to change the Constitution – from completely overhauling it to shift to federalism, to just amending the economic provisions to ease restrictions on foreign investments. 

But senators were strongly opposed to changing the Constitution. They have repeatedly questioned the timing of the proposals and even said it could be “one big step into a quicksand.” 

Duterte ended his term as president in June 30 without fulfilling his campaign promise to shift to a federal system of government. – Rappler.com