Congressmen: Advanced economies amend their constitutions

MANILA, Philippines — From the United States up to Asia and Southeast Asia, advanced economies have had changes in their constitutions to keep their laws attuned to the evolving times, which paid off in terms of being global leaders in the community of nations, according to several congressmen.

Reps. Joey Salceda of Albay’s 2nd District, who chairs the ways and means committee of the House of Representatives, and Teodoro Haresco Jr. (Aklan 2nd District) cited several countries that carried out changes in their internal policies if only to keep up with the changing times, particularly when the world has reached the digital age. 

“It is natural and normal for democracies to revise their constitutions, to suit the evolving needs of the times, as well as to adjust for conditions that framers did not foresee,” Salceda said. 

“The US constitution, the model constitution for republics like ours, has been amended 27 times, with the first amendments being made just months after the constitution went into effect,” the former director-general of the National Economic Development Authority added.

Haresco, for his part, noted that even countries in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have been “dynamically amending their constitutions to spur economic development reflective of global changes.” 

“Singapore has had nine amendments to their constitution since 1965, Malaysia amended 61 times since 1957, Thailand has had 20 constitutions and charters since 1932 and Indonesia has had four amendments since its creation,” he said.

“Compelling data show that while our economy may be growing, the well-being of our people are falling behind our ASEAN neighbors,” the lawmaker, whose province covers the world-class Boracay island, told a news briefing last week. 

Revisiting the 1987 Constitution and amending restrictive economic provisions, specifically on foreign ownership, will be key to maximizing economic potential and ushering in the President’s vision of a Bagong Pilipinas, a new era of prosperity, innovation and invigoration for the people, according to Haresco.

He emphasized that the ultimate safeguard for the 1987 Constitution is to ensure that no restrictive economic policies hinder the full potential and well-being of its people, as envisioned by Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 approved by the House and now undergoing Senate deliberation.

The vice chairman of the House committee on appropriations said adopting economic amendments to the Constitution would usher in a new era of growth and prosperity for the Philippines, propelling it to upper middle-income status by 2025.

“We need to expand our capital, technology, and entrepreneurship opportunities to create more jobs and compete globally. Economic transformation for the Philippines requires fellow public servants and fiscalizers to maximize opportunities for job creation, innovation, and international cooperation,” Haresco said.

He made this remark after comparing the number of times other ASEAN countries amended their constitutions for economic growth with their respective gross domestic product per capita, a core indicator of a country’s economic performance and well-being.