MANILA - Administration Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Monday junked the necessity of supporting Pampanga Rep. Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales Jr.'s proposed resolution that seeks to amend the 1987 Constitution, giving two terms for a sitting president and vice president with 5-year terms of office.
Gonzales' proposal also targets to adjust congressmen, other local officials including village chairmen, a fixed five-year term with one reelection.
"Isn’t that self-serving? That’s self-serving. I will not allow it… You can revisit the Constitution or you can tinker with the Constitution, as long as you don’t touch on the term limits of national and local officials," Estrada told reporters.
Estrada said tinkering the 1987 Constitution would open it to eventual unnecessary insertions.
"Kasi people will blame us again eh if we tinker with the term limits of national and local officials. Kami na naman sisisihin ng taumbayan, kaya kayo nandyan kasi gusto nyong magpa-extend ng term. Alam niyo yung mga ganun ba? So I’m very meticulous about it," Estrada said.
On Monday, senators started filing their proposed measures.
Senator Loren Legarda's proposed “One Tablet, One Student Program” bill, received the first bill number in the Senate.
The measure aims to cover all elementary, secondary and State Colleges and Universities (SUCs) students.
Majority of Legarda’s first 10 filed bills, seek to address educational concerns in the country.
Senator Sonny Angara’s filed measures meantime centered on uplifting the status of education, health, economy, labor, food and eradicate poverty.
On the other hand, Senator Imee Marcos’s penned measures are focused to pandemic recovery and public protection amid the advent of technology.
She also wants distribution of free land to farmers.
"Kasi kung tutuusin hindi naman sila makapagbayad. At yung titulo, hindi rin nasa kanila. so parang yung agricultural lands ng mga yan are laying idle and impoverishing the families that should have been benefited from the entire PD (Presidential Decree) 27," Marcos said.
And added: "Singkwenta anyos na hindi pa natin nabibigay ang titulo, hindi pa natin nagagamit ang lupa, bilang asset ng iba’t-ibang magsasaka na naghihirap at hindi malaman kung mamanahin ng kanilang anak at apo."
Senator Lito Lapid’s focus is to provide a monthly pension to indigents with disability, as well as free professional examinations, protection for tourists and agriculture, and a transparent medical bill.
And with the worsening crisis , Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, seeks to automatically suspend the value added tax and excise tax on petroleum products the moment crude oil price reaches $80 or higher per barrel in the market.
Pimentel also seeks to probe the frequent changes in the Philippine bank notes.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, aside from the SOGIE Equality Act, aims to address the concerns of the elderly, sick, women, environment, and those trapped in troubled marriages.
Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr., also targets to aid the elderly, teachers, family, and farmers in his bills.
Senator Joel Villanueva on the other hand, has resumed his advocacy to help workers through his targeted proposed measures.
Senator Christopher "Bong" Go’s proposed measures are designed to address calamities and health issues.
Senator Francis Tolentino’s measures are a combination of those involving national security, economy, agriculture and energy.
While Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s bills are for the salary and protection of workers, including a four-day week scheme to those in the private sector.
"Sa taas naman ng bilihin, sa taas ng pamasahe, sa taas ng gasoline, eh nauso na rin ang work from home," Estrada said.
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Senate, 19th Congress, 1987 Constitution, constitutional amendments, president, vice president, longer term