MANILA — House Speaker Martin Romualdez on Monday opened the Committee of the Whole proceedings on House Resolution of Both Houses No. 7 which seeks to amend economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution.

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The Committee of the Whole includes all members of the House.

Romualdez gave an assurance that they will not touch the political provisions of the charter.
 
"Malinaw po sa ating lahat ang misyon natin ngayon. Baguhin ang ilang economic provisions na pumipigil sa pagpasok ng mga negosyo mula sa ibang bansa. Mga negosyong lilikha ng trabaho at magpapasigla ng ating ekonomiya. Ito lamang ang pakay natin. Ekonomiya, hindi pulitika," Romualdez said.

For this reason, Romualdez said, they will adopt the Senate's proposed amendments to the Charter under the upper chamber's RBH No. 6.

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HOUSE SAYS FOLLOWING SENATE'S LEAD
 
Meanwhile, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has reiterated that the Senate will take the lead in Charter change efforts.
 
“Ganun pa rin. Binigyan niya ng diin na Senate ang mangunguna, very loud and clear yun,” Gatchalian said of the legislators’ meeting with the President today in the Palace.
 
Gatchalian said the deadline for the Senate’s discussion on the proposed changes in the Constitution’s economic provisions remains to be October.
 
“Wel, sa amin ang importante ma-cover lahat at mapag-usapan nang maayos at yung detalye ng pag-uusapan hindi yung bilis. Dahil baka may makalimutuan kami o hindi ma-cover. So, napag-usapan namin among senators yung detalye ang importante,” he said.
 
“Same deadline: October," he added.

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Deputy Speaker David Suarez of Quezon meanwhile pointed out they did not preempt the Senate as they started hearings on RBH 7.
 
"Hindi naman siguro kami aakusahan ng Senado na nag-aapura kasi sila naman ang nauna," Suarez said.
 
Taguig 2nd District Rep. Amparo Maria Zamora explained that the House will also conduct rigorous hearings on the proposals.
 
"It doesn't mean na inaaway namin, kukumontra kami at pumapalag kami sa ginagawa ng aming mga ginagalang na senador, nagtatrabaho lang din po kami," Zamora said.