Cha-cha on economic provisions being studied–Marcos
According to estimates made by the National Economic Development Authority, a Con-con would cost around P28 billion, or at least P10 billion more expensive than a Con-ass.
A newer version of the House-sponsored resolution suggested that the cost for a Con-con may be reduced to P14 billion and that Con-ass will only need around P30 million.
Public sentiment
Sen. Cynthia Villar on Friday said that public sentiment had always been against Ch-cha.“Filipinos don’t want Charter change. In general, it’s unpopular,” Villar told reporters after attending an event in Las Piñas City.
“If people don’t like it, I don’t like it,” she said. “The Senate is (lukewarm) to Charter change because it has been noted in all the research that the public would not approve that.”
The matriarch of one of the country’s most influential political clans said even her family members recognized that such undertaking should be supported by the people.
Villar’s son, Mark, is also currently serving as senator. Her daughter, Camille, is the representative of the lone district of Las Piñas.
“I have been a senator for so many years. As a policy, you don’t do something that people do not want,” she said.
May turn political
Villar also repeated concerns by some colleagues that any move to modify the Constitution would also involve changing some of its political provisions.
“They say they will change only the economic provisions. But if you open up the Constitution for amendments, you will open up all its parts, not just the economic provisions,” she said.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III earlier said he would support changing the country’s presidential form of government into a federal system.Pimentel, however, vowed to block any proposal to allow foreigners to own lands and to exploit the country’s natural resources.
“Regarding the adoption of federalism, I’m open to the idea. But if the plan is to sell our lands and mineral resources to foreigners, it should be opposed,” he said. —WITH REPORTS FROM MARLON RAMOS AND INQUIRER RESEARCH INQ
###—###
#Byline2
@NCorralesINQ
