Day and night
When the oldest and most respectable association of legal luminaries in the country joins forces with Asia’s oldest and most prestigious press club, it can only mean one thing: a grand success.
And so it was that the Philippine Constitution Association, or PHILCONSA, together with the Manila Overseas Press Club, or MOPC, held a one-of-a-kind PHILCONSA Day and Senate Night recently at the Fairmont Hotel Ballroom in Makati City.
PHILCONSA, as we know, is currently headed by none other than House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, while the MOPC is under the helm of the indefatigable, no-nonsense Tony Lopez. It is my honor to be a member of both distinguished organizations.
The MOPC was founded in 1945 by foreign correspondents who came with American general Douglas MacArthur when he landed in Manila after Liberation. It counts among its members the owners of the largest media organizations, top businessmen, and professionals — some of the most experienced, senior and influential journalists and media practitioners in the country.
The event was truly a night of nights. Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez was present despite his rather hectic schedule to give the introductory speech.
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri gave his keynote speech on “The Senate: Milestones and Challenges of Nation Building,” while Speaker Romualdez gave his keynote on “The Constitution in the balance of the 21st Century.”
In his keynote, the Senate President said that the Senate approved a total of 18 measures, five of which were included in President Marcos’ list of priority bills, during the week.
“Once signed into law, these measures will help shore up the Marcos administration’s initiatives to make the Philippines a prime investment destination,” Zubiri said. “These pieces of legislation will blast open new avenues for foreign trade and investments, which are crucial in making us a truly competitive economic player.”
Among the pieces of legislation the Senate ratified were Senate Bill No. 2224 (Ease of Paying Taxes Act) and Senate Bill No. 2233 (Public Private Partnership Act). Senate Bill No. 2221, or the proposed Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, was also approved on third and final reading after the President certified its passage as urgent.
Meanwhile, in his speech, Speaker Romualdez iterated the need to amend the “outdated and restrictive” economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution to attract more foreign investments, create jobs, open income opportunities for our people, and spur development.
The House Speaker said that amending the charter’s restrictive economic provisions could redefine the country’s economic future.
“In summary, our Constitution, as noble and well-intentioned as it is, has elements that are no longer adaptive to our needs,” according to Romualdez. “Amending these provisions isn’t just a matter of law — it’s about transforming the opportunities available to every Filipino. It’s about catalyzing a new era of prosperity, characterized by more robust economic growth, technological advancement, job creation, and ultimately, a better quality of life for each (and every) citizen.”
The Speaker also pointed out that although these provisions were drafted with patriotic intentions, these regulations have unintended adverse consequences, such as limiting job creation, among others. He emphasized that “countries like Vietnam and Indonesia have been welcoming foreign direct investments with open arms and reaping substantial benefits, mainly through job creation. We, on the other hand, have missed out on these opportunities due to our stringent regulations.”
This is a move that we can truly support and am pretty sure all those present that night took heed.
In the open forum that followed, moderated masterfully by the inimitable Tony Lopez, specifics and realistic timelines were elicited from our speakers. The bane of bureaucratic red tape occupied much of the discussion and gave rise to the concept of the 10-minute rule in securing business permits.
I chimed in by saying that in some European nations, the rule of thumb is when a new regulation is introduced, you take out two or three. This to simplify the process and take out inconsistencies.
Indeed, government must untie that Gordian Knot of excessive and conflicting regulations if the ease of doing business is the panacea for a more robust economy that translates to a better life for all Filipinos.
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