The House of Representatives is expected to start plenary discussions on the bill seeking to amend the Constitution through a Constituent Assembly (con-ass) when it resumes session in May after the Holy Week break.

Rep. Roger G. Mercado (Lone District, Southern Leyte), chairman of the House committee on constitutional amendments, cited this development during today’s bi-monthly press conference organized by the Office of the Speaker. 

He said their panel was set to submit today its committee report to the committee on rules, recommending the amendment of the Constitution through a con-ass.

‘’This is being done after tackling the different House bills. We have discussed them already, ventilated the issues, had so many committee hearings, invited all specialists and legal luminaries, heads of business organizations, NGOs and former Constitutional Convention (ConCon) delegates, and U.P. professors. And now, we believe that we can already pass the bill constituting our Congress into a Constituent Assembly,” said Mercado.

After that, he said they will go to the different regions in the coming days to consult directly with the people on Congress’ stand to amend the Constitution to shift from a unitary to a federal system of government.

‘’I believe it (bill) will be discussed in the plenary when we convene after the recess. We are going to have a recess on March 18. When we open our session come May this year, we will tackle the bill on the floor," said Mercado.

Mercado said plenary deliberations on the con-ass measure is expected to start after the House is done voting on the death penalty bill in March.

Mercado said the bill limits its scope on the mode of charter change which is con-ass.

He said the manner of voting, which may be done separately by the House and the Senate, can be introduced as an amendment to the bill during the plenary proceedings. 

‘’To be practical, that would be part of the amendment and it will be accepted. Sa House version, hindi pa voting separately kasi mode pa ang atin. That will be tackled in the plenary during the period of amendments,” said Mercado.

Asked if House members have coordinated with their Senate counterparts regarding the passage of the bill, Mercado said House leaders have done so more or less in an informal way.

“We met some members of the Senate and during our informal talks, we could feel that they are amenable to a con-ass provided it will be voting separately,” said Mercado. 

Since the proposal is in the form of a bill, Mercado said the process is that after the House passes the measure, it will be submitted to the Senate. Then if it will be approved in the Senate, there will be a bicameral conference. After that, the bill will be submitted to the President for his approval. “Only then will it become a law and there will be convening now of both the Senate and the House into a constituent assembly,” said Mercado.

He said there will no longer be public consultation on the mode of charter change after the committee agreed on con-ass in October last year. The committee, however, will instead engage in information dissemination to inform the people about what federalism is, what are the federal states, what will be the workings, what are the benefits, the disadvantages, and advantages.

‘’Congress will be recommending the mode, that we amend through Constituent Assembly voting separately. After that, when we convene, yun na. We will discuss, ano ba ang i-amend natin sa Constitution, shift ba to presidential to parliamentary, federal whatever. So pagbo-botohan yan. And then kung federal ano ang mga provisions na ilagay natin dyan,”said Mercado.

He said they have a framework for development in the Constitution that might become an instrument to solve poverty, criminality, environmental destruction; give power to the regions and local government units; and decongest Metro Manila where everything is centralized, including funding.

‘’We want that the money of our country will be shared also. We’ll spread the sunshine, so the different regions can have airports and infrastructures which can be used to promote livelihood. We want to inform the people how to become good citizens. That is our plan,” said Mercado.

Deputy Speaker Ferdinand L. Hernandez said the regular process will go on for bills that have no direct effect on the provisions of the Constitution. But the con-ass bill will touch on certain provisions of the Constitution, he said.

‘’Definitely it will go to con-ass where all details will be discussed on what will be the composition, what form of government that would come after we voted on the mode of amending the Constitution,” said Hernandez.

Meanwhile, Mercado named the various sectors that they consulted on chacha and conass. In the business sector, yhey consulted the : Makati Business Club; Philippine Exporter's Confederation; Management Association of the Philippines; and Foundation for Economic Freedom.

In the academe, they consulted the Political Science Department of the University of the Philippines (UP); UP Islamic Studies; Philippine Institute for Development Studies; Centre for People Empowerment in Governance; Pulse Asia Research Incorporated; Strat Base; Albert del Rosario Institute; Center for Scientific Research and Strategy Development c/o Dr. Clarita Carlos; Institute for Autonomy and Governance; Dean of the College of Arts of De La Salle University Dr. Julio Teehankee; and the other Deans of prestigious universities and schools.

In local government units (LGUs), they consulted the: Philippine Councilors’ League; Vice Governors of the Philippines League; Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP); Dr. Ed Tayao of the Local Government Development Foundation; League of Cities; and League of Governors.

For legal and constitutional luminaries, they consulted Ambassador Wilfrido Villacorta, former commissioner of the 1986 ConCom; Dr. Jose V. Abueva, chairman, Consultative Commission; Atty. Raul Lambino; Dr. Bernardo M. Villegas; Atty. Felipe Gozun; former Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban; Philippine Constitution Association (PhilConsa); Philippine Bar Association; Institute of Government and Law Reforms, UP Law Center; Fr. Ranilio Aquino, Dean, Graduate School of Law, San Beda College; Commission on Human Rights; Department of Foreign Affairs; Department of Justice; and other departments where there are experts in law and jurisprudence. --  Press and Public Affairs Bureau, House of Representatives