CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — The Committee on Constitutional Amendments of the House of Representatives held the Central Luzon leg of a Public Consultation on Constitutional Reform at the Kingsborough International Convention Convention Center here on Friday, Feb. 17.
Preliminary remarks were made by Deputy Speaker and 3rd District Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales, where he mentioned the need to “correct past political failures”.
During the program, Senior vice chair on the Committee on Constitutional Amendments Iloilo 3rd District Rep. Lorenz R. Defensor gave an overview of measures referred to the committee.
These include petitons and House Bills 4926, 6698, 6805, 6920 and HJR 12, all calling for a Constitutional Convention to amend the 1987 Constitution; as well as RBH 2 and 4, proposing amendments to certain restrictive economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution.
Meanwhile, Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Luz A. Quimbo, vice chair of the committee on appropriations, talked on the merits of amending the economic provisions of the Constitution.
Invited guests from different sectors of society – business, academe, media, government agencies and local government, among others – expressed their views on whether or not it is necessary to amend the Constitution; their preferred mode of amendment; and what specific amendments they would like to propose.
For his part, Gonzales said public consultations are being held all over the country to educate Filipinos, especially those at the grassroots level, about the need to amend the Charter.
Among those who gave their views and asked questions were Pampanga Board Member Ananias Canlas, City of San Fernando Mayor Vilma Caluag and CSF Councilors Ricky Hizon and Reggie David, PamCham Legal Counsel Atty. Paul Yusi, Pampanga Press Club chairman and Inquirer correspondent Tonette Orejas, among others.
Also in attendance during the event were Gov. Dennis Pineda, Vice Gov. Lilia Pineda, Bataan Board Member Antonino Roman III, and other officials and representatives from Bulacan and Zambales.
