MANILA - Vice President Leni Robredo on Wednesday criticized the passage of a proposed federal charter on second reading in the House of Representatives, alleging politics was prioritized over measures that would temper the rising prices of basic goods.

The House on Tuesday approved the amended Resolution of Both Houses of Congress (RBH) No. 15, which proposes a new constitution, viva voce vote, where the ayes were louder than the nays.

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"Ang dapat tutukan ng ating Kongreso ay ang mga panukala na magpapababa sa presyo ng mga bilihin, at magbibigay ng trabaho sa ating mga kababayan," Robredo said in a statement.

(The Congress should prioritize policies that would pull down prices of goods, and would generate jobs for our countrymen.)

The House should have tackled first how to mitigate the effects of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law, she said.

"Unahin na natin ang ating mga kababayan, at mga alalahaning pinakamalapit sa kanilang bituka at pamumuhay, kaysa sa pamumulitika,"

(We should prioritize our countrymen and the issues that would affect them and their livelihood instead of politics.)

Opposition lawmakers earlier alleged that the passage of the proposed federal charter was railroaded as the House leadership declined to entertain further questionings and points about the removal of provisions on term limits and the political dynasty ban.

The House is expected to pass the bill on final reading and transmit it to the Senate before Congress goes on Christmas break. The Senate, however, has yet to pass a counterpart measure.

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