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[av_heading heading=’Proposed revision of Constitution top priority – Senate’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY PRINCE GOLEZ
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January 15, 2018
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MANILA – The Senate vowed to prioritize the proposal to revise the 1987 Constitution as Congress resumes session today.
Three bills proposed amendments or revisions in the Constitution, according to Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III.
The Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes has scheduled to discuss the measures authored by Franklin Drilon, Richard Gordon and Juan Miguel Zubiri on Jan. 17.
Pimentel and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez support the idea for the Senate and the House of Representatives to convene as a constituent assembly (Con-Ass) “to pave the way for the shift to federalism.”
Both allies in President Rodrigo Duterte’s party PDP-Laban, they believe Con-Ass is a cheap and practical approach.
A separate election of delegates to form a constitutional convention (Con-Con) is expensive as it could cost the government P7 billion, they said.
Under Con-Ass, Congress members may turn themselves into a body that would amend the Constitution, while in a Con-Con, a body separate from Congress will be either elected or appointed to change the charter. Duterte preferred the latter.
The Senate was also expected to tackle the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, the proposed Anti-Terrorism Law, the proposed National ID System Act, and the proposed Universal Health Care for All Filipinos Act this 2018, Pimentel said.
The Senate continues to be a top public institution, posting a net satisfaction rating of +56 in the latest Social Weather Stations survey./PN
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