A FRAMER of the 1987 Constitution said Thursday that amending the current Charter is not part of the administration’s Philippine Development Plan (PDP), and lawmakers should instead focus their efforts on passing legislative measures supported by the government.
Christian Monsod, a former Commission on Elections Chairman and one of the framers of the 1987 Constitution, emphasized at a House hearing that it is a “lame excuse” to blame the Constitution for the country’s current political climate.
Monsod took a swipe at the lawmakers for not passing key measures that would curb political dynasties in the country such as an anti-dynasty law or amendments to the party-list law.
“Real change cannot happen if we do not strike at the roots and not at the branches of the problem. Congress has not passed an anti-dynasty law for 35 years, and blames the Constitution for the lapses. That is a lame excuse,” he told the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments during its first public consultation regarding the bills that seek to amend the Constitution.
Monsod pointed out that the country must succeed in four areas of asset reforms to achieve social justice in the country: agrarian reform, fisheries reform, urban land reform and ancestral domains.
“We are a country of inequalities for generations where the starting positions of the rich and the poor are not equal. Social justice is about adjustment of the starting positions through education and health in four asset programs,” he said.
“All these programs are underperforming either by non-enactment of enough law, underfunding programs or loopholes in the laws by the legislative [branch],” he added.
Monsod emphasized that amending the 1987 Constitution is not mentioned or even referenced in the Marcos Jr. administration’s PDP Plan 2023-2028.
“There is no single reference or mention of any amendment of the Constitution as a means to achieve any objectives or strategies. None either in the Duterte Development Plan,” he said.
Monsod also pointed out that inserting the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” in the economic provisions of the Constitution is “dangerous.”
He explained that this could lead to “transactional” legislation as the legislative branch would have the power to amend business ownership rules in the country through legislation.
“Once inserted, the constitutional provisions become meaningless and the door is open wider for transactional legislation at which corrupt politicians and greedy business are very adept,” he said.
“The insertion is insidious because it is made to appear as harmless since it only gives Congress flexibility to determine the actual percentages at the appropriate time,” he added.
