Padilla Bid to Reform Charter's Economic Provisions Must be Priority -- Constitutional Advocate
February 10, 2023
Padilla Bid to Reform Charter's Economic Provisions Must be Priority -- Constitutional Advocate
Ensuring the 1987 Constitution does not hold back the Philippines' economic growth - especially for the long term - should be the priority especially of lawmakers, a constitutional reform advocate said Friday.
Lawyer and Ateneo de Manila Law School Professor Antonio Abad Jr. said fixing the relevant provisions in the basic law of the land is for the benefit not just of Filipinos now but of future generations of Filipinos.
"Ang pag-ayos ng Saligang Batas siguro ang No. 1 priority natin. Ang Saligang Batas is the highest law of the land - so kung leader ka, kung senator ka, this should be your priority... ito dapat ang priority. Dito manggagaling ang ulam, kanin at sibuyas (Reforming the Constitution should be our top priority because it is the highest law of the land. If you are a leader, if you are a senator, this should be your priority. This is where our next meal - rice, viand, onions - will come from)," Abad said in an interview on DZEC.
Thus, Abad voiced his support for Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla's Resolution of Both Houses No. 3, which seeks to amend some economic provisions in the Charter through a constituent assembly, with both houses of Congress voting separately.
"Sang-ayon ako sa resolusyon na gawa ni Sen. Robin Padilla at sa mga ginagawa na resolusyon at effort sa House of Representatives na kailangan talaga ayusin ang ating Saligang Batas. Tama si Sen. Padilla na masyadong mahigpit ang economic provisions sa ating Saligang Batas kaya naiwan tayo sa economic development especially sa Southeast Asia (I support Padilla's resolution along with similar efforts in the House of Representatives. We must fix the holes in our Constitution. Padilla is right - our economic provisions are too tight, so we are left behind our Southeast Asian neighbors in terms of economic development)," he said.
"Ang Saligang Batas hindi lang para sa pulitiko. Ito ay pag-aari ng taumbayan. Lahat tayo ay may stake. We are all stakeholders in our Constitution (The Constitution is not just for politicians. All Filipinos have a stake in this, we are all stakeholders in our Constitution)," he added.
Responding to claims that amending the economic provisions of the Constitution would not be needed due to laws like the Public Service Act, Abad noted that while the Public Service Act may have generated investments in various sectors, there is still a need to ensure the Constitution allows economic growth for the future generations.
"Itong Saligang Batas para sa ating future generation yan. You want a Constitution that will last the next 100, 1,000 years. So ayusin ang Constitution ngayon para sa ating future generations (This Constitution should be for future generations - you want a Constitution to last the next 100, 1,000 years. So we should fix the Constitution now, for the sake of our future generations)," he said.
Besides, he said rules on investments should be in laws and not the Constitution. He noted that while the Philippine Constitution has a 60-40 restriction on foreign investments, our Southeast Asian neighbors like Myanmar, which have gained much foreign investments, have no such restrictions.
"Pag nakita ng investor sa Saligang Batas natin na may provision na nagsasabing hindi ka pwede mag-invest, hindi sila pupunta rito at pupunta sila sa ibang bansa tulad ng Vietnam (If prospective investors see that our Constitution has a provision restricting their investment, they would go elsewhere like Vietnam)," he said.
Constitutional Advocate: Consti Reform Gawing Prayoridad Para sa Susunod na Henerasyon ng Pilipino
Kailangang gawing prayoridad lalo ng mga mambabatas ang pagtiyak na hindi magiging hadlang ang 1987 Constitution sa paglago ng ekonomiya, lalo na para sa mga darating na taon, ayon sa isang constitutional reform advocate ngayong Biyernes.
Ayon kay Ateneo de Manila Law School Professor Antonio Abad Jr., ang pag-ayos ng mga probisyon sa Saligang Batas ay hindi lang para sa kasalukuyang henerasyon kundi para sa mga darating na henerasyon.
"Ang pag-ayos ng Saligang Batas siguro ang No. 1 priority natin. Ang Saligang Batas is the highest law of the land - so kung leader ka, kung senator ka, this should be your priority... ito dapat ang priority. Dito manggagaling ang ulam, kanin at sibuyas," ani Abad sa panayam sa DZEC.
Nagpahayag ng suporta si Abad sa Resolution of Both Houses No. 3 ni Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla, na nais amyendahan ang ilang economic provisions sa Saligang Batas sa pamamagitan ng constituent assembly, kung saan boboto nang hiwalay ang Senado at Kamara.
"Sang-ayon ako sa resolusyon na gawa ni Sen. Robin Padilla at sa mga ginagawa na resolusyon at effort sa House of Representatives na kailangan talaga ayusin ang ating Saligang Batas. Tama si Sen. Padilla na masyadong mahigpit ang economic provisions sa ating Saligang Batas kaya naiwan tayo sa economic development especially sa Southeast Asia," ani Abad.
"Ang Saligang Batas hindi lang para sa pulitiko. Ito ay pag-aari ng taumbayan. Lahat tayo ay may stake. We are all stakeholders in our Constitution," dagdag niya.
Hindi sang-ayon si Abad na hindi na raw kailangang baguhin ang probisyon sa Saligang Batas dahil may mga batas na tulad ng Public Service Act.
Ayon kay Abad, bagama't nagbunga ang Public Service Act ng investment sa ilang sektor, kailangan pa ring siguraduhin na matitiyak ng Saligang Batas ang paglago ng ekonomiya sa susunod na henerasyon.
"Itong Saligang Batas para sa ating future generation yan. You want a Constitution that will last the next 100, 1,000 years. So ayusin ang Constitution ngayon para sa ating future generations," aniya.
Dagdag ni Abad, ang mga alituntunin sa pag-invest ay dapat sa batas at hindi sa Saligang Batas. Aniya, may 60-40 restriction sa foreign investments ang ating Saligang Batas samantalang ang ibang bansa sa Southeast Asia tulad ng Myanmar, na nakaakit ng malaking foreign investments, ay walang ganitong restriction.
"Pag nakita ng investor sa Saligang Batas natin na may provision na nagsasabing hindi ka pwede mag-invest, hindi sila pupunta rito at pupunta sila sa ibang bansa tulad ng Vietnam," aniya.
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