The House Committee on Constitutional Amendments on Monday approved a bill accompanying the Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 6, calling for a Constitutional Convention (Con-con) to propose amendments to the 1987 Constitution.
This unnumbered bill, if passed, will be the enabling law implementing RBH No. 6.
The bill was approved by 17 and opposed by two lawmakers.
Under the proposal, the Con-con will be “hybrid” with 304 elected and appointed delegates with 1 delegate elected from each of the 253 congressional districts.
The measure said that 253 delegates will be elected in polls to be held simultaneously with the next Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on October 30, 2023.
The bill, meanwhile, said 20 percent of the total number of Con-con delegates from various sectors will be jointly appointed by the Senate President and House Speaker.
These sectors include farmers, senior citizens, youth, urban poor and indigenous peoples.
The bill said the convention shall meet in the session hall of the House of Representatives on November 20. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall jointly preside at its opening until a presiding officer is elected by the convention among the delegates.
Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno proposed to the House Committee on Constitutional Amendment a hybrid Con-con.
Puno, a former chairman of the Consultative Committee to Review the 1987 Constitution during the Duterte administration, said a hybrid Con-con would ensure that those tasked to amend the Constitution are independent and competent.
According to Puno, Con-con needs more people with expertise in law, politics, and economics.
For his part, House Committee on Constitutional Amendments Chairman Rufus Rodriguez said the Con-con will be allotted a proposed P5 billion budget for its operating expenses.
The bill also included a P10,000 per diem or daily allowance for each of the Con-con delegates.
But Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas questioned the huge cost to be incurred by the conduct of Con-con while workers have been clamoring for wage hikes and many have been asking for subsidies.
The bill will be transmitted to the House Committee on Appropriations for the approval of its funding provision.
Last week, the House of Representatives started the plenary debates on Resolution of Both Houses 6 calling for a Constitutional convention to propose amendments to the 1987 Constitution.
The convention is mandated, through a process of public hearings and deliberations, to submit the proposed charter change for the people’s ratification, which shall be held not earlier than 60 days nor later than 90 days upon approval of the amendments or revisions, and the same shall be valid only when ratified by a majority of the votes cast.