Noy open to amending economic provisions of Constitution – lawmaker

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino is open to amending the restrictive economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution to create more jobs and boost growth with the influx of more investments, a senior administration lawmaker said yesterday.

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, president of the Centrist Democratic Party (CDP), said he was able to speak at length with Aquino during the 78th anniversary rites of the Armed Forces at Camp Aguinaldo last Dec. 20.

Rodriguez said Aquino was “listening intently” when he made a pitch for Charter change.

“I said to the President that he has been very successful in running the economy that has achieved seven percent growth,” Rodriguez said in a telephone interview.

“But I also said that we can easily achieve 10 percent annual growth in our GDP (gross domestic product) in a few years after we have reformed the (economic) restrictions.”

He said he told Aquino that relaxing the limitations imposed by the Constitution on certain industries would create more jobs and generate more revenues for the government “because there will be more investors“ flocking to the country.

He also assured the President that he can veto any law that Congress may come up with in implementing the amendments.

“He was all ears and he asked me to immediately send him my position paper. I think he’s open to Charter reforms, particularly only the economic provisions,” Rodriguez said.

The lawmaker said he decided to withdraw his bill pending in the House committee on constitutional amendments seeking to amend the Constitution to change the form of government to a federal parliamentary system as Aquino is not too keen on touching the political provisions.

He said Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., who filed House Resolution No. 1 seeking to lift economic restrictions in the Constitution, is also not in favor of amending the political provisions.

Belmonte had filed Concurrent Resolution No. 1 at the opening of the 16th Congress last June that seeks to amend the restrictive economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution through the normal legislative route to allow more foreign investor participation in local industries.

He said he instead signed Belmonte’s resolution which also covers his call for more foreign direct investments to the country.