Cha-cha debates focus on basic education revisions

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THE Senate sub-committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes will tackle this morning the recommendation to allow foreign investments in the country’s education sector as it resumes discussions on proposed Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 6, which is seeking limited amendments to the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution.

Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara, sub-committee chairman, said invited to the hearing are constitutional and legal experts, economists, educators, and representatives from reputable higher educational institutions in the country.

Former Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon, at the request of Sen. Grace Poe, will also join the hearing to share his insights on proposed revisions concerning public services, which was discussed last week.

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“His (Drilon) experience and expertise are expected to enhance the discussion and enrich the dialogue on constitutional reforms,” said Angara.

Key topics expected to be discussed in today’s hearing include the legal and constitutional implications of the proposed opening of the education sector to foreign participation, economic analyses of foreign investment in education, and the proposal’s potential impact on the quality, accessibility, and affordability of education in the Philippines.

Senators and stakeholders will also explore measures to safeguard national interests and educational standards in anticipation of the increased participation of foreign investors in the sector.

In a recent press conference, Angara emphasized the necessity of clarifying the content of RBH 6, specifically on the proposed educational amendments as he noted the prevailing stance of senators against opening basic education to foreign interference.

“Our focus is on higher education because we want to provide our fellow Filipinos with options. Some may not afford to send their children abroad, but they still desire the benefits of a college degree from accredited universities,” Angara said.

Angara cited as examples the universities in neighboring countries that offer joint degrees, among them Singapore where students can obtain joint degrees from prestigious institutions such as Harvard and Yale in collaboration with the National University of Singapore.

“With joint degrees, our children can earn two internationally accredited degrees for the price of one tuition fee. We should not deprive Filipinos of quality education,” he said.

Angara said that while he is supportive of opening the country’s doors to foreign institutions through the educational amendment, he underscored the importance of reciprocity.

“We will not allow them to enter here if they do not permit us to enter their country. I believe reciprocity is a crucial aspect that we should include in RBH 6. We cannot afford to lose out on this,” he said.

Aside from Drilon, the subcommittee has also invited 1987 Constitution framer Ricardo Romulo, retired International Criminal Court Judge and former University of the Philippines-College of Law Dean Raul Pangalangan, UP Law Professor Alfredo Molo, economist Emmanuel “Manny” Maceda, and Ateneo Policy Center senior economist and former dean of the Ateneo School of Government Dr. Ronald Mendoza.

Also included in the guest list are representatives from various organizations of colleges and universities and reputable higher educational institutions, including the UP System, Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, University of Santo Tomas, Far Eastern University, Mapua University, Saint Louis University in Baguio City, University of San Carlos in Cebu, Siliman University in Dumaguete City, and Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro City, among others.

HOUSE RBH 7

House leaders yesterday amped up the pressure on senators by filing their own version of a resolution calling for amendments to certain economic provisions of the Constitution, which is exactly the same as RBH 6 filed by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri.

Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr., along with Deputy Speaker David Suarez of Quezon, Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe and other House leaders filed RBH No. 7 to allow the appropriate committee to immediately begin hearings and hold it simultaneously with the Senate’s sub-committee’s hearing on RBH No. 6.

Gonzales said the filing of the House’s resolution only means that the proposals to amend the Constitution via a constituent assembly (con-ass) has officially become the mode of amendment: “Tuloy na po ang con-ass (It’s a go for con-ass)!”

“Our RBH proposals are in toto to the Senate RBH. Parehong pareho po. Kailangan na rin namin pag-usapan ang mga proposed amendments at sabayan ang Senado para mapabilis ang proseso lalo na ang target ng Senado sabi ni Senate President Migz ay matatapos nila bago mag Holy Week (It’s exactly the same. We have to discuss the proposed amendments simultaneously with the Senate to expedite the process, especially since Senate President Migz has said they’ll be able o finish it before the Holy Week),” Gonzales told a joint press conference with other House leaders.

Congressmen have been pouncing on Zubiri after Angara said the RBH 6’s passage may reach until October and not March as the Senate President earlier promised to President Marcos Jr. and House leaders.

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The two resolutions are both entitled, “A Resolution of Both Houses of Congress proposing amendments to certain economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, particularly on Articles XII, XIV and XVI.”

The proposed House and Senate changes are on the grant of legislative franchises to public utilities in Article Xll, basic education in Article XlV and advertising in XVl.

The proposed principal amendments is the insertion of the phrase, “unless otherwise provided by law,” which would empower Congress to lift or relax present economic restrictions in the fundamental law of the land and the addition of the qualifier “basic” in Article XlV.

RBH No. 7 and RBH No. 6 restate the provision of the Constitution that Congress may propose amendments “upon a vote of three-fourths of all its members,” an exercise of the two chambers’ constituent powers which lawmakers call the con-ass.

Some of the other authors of the measure are presidential son senior majority leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos of Ilocos Norte, Deputy Speakers Kristine Singson-Meehan and Antonio Albano, Reps. Yedda K. Romualdez, Jude Acidre, Zaldy Co, LRay Villafuerte, Eleandro Jesus Madrona, Johnny Pimentel, Jesus Jurdin Romualdo, Wilfrido Mark Enverge, Jose Aquino II, Robert Ace Barbers, Brian Raymund Yamsuan, Angelina Natasha Co, and others.

Gonzales said the President, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Zubiri all agree that some economic provisions need be “relaxed.”

The senior House leader also said the filing of the measure should put an end to allegations that congressmen are only plotting to amend the political provisions of the Constitution to perpetuate themselves and other top officials, including the President, in power.

“Allow me to make it clear, this administration’s position in introducing reforms for the Constitution extends to economic matters alone, for those strategically aimed at boosting our economy. Nothing more,” he said.

The House leaders said in RBH No. 7 that “the nation’s economic policy must be reframed under the demands of this increasingly globalized age, while still protecting the general policy of Filipino-first that guides the economic provisions of the Constitution.”

They stressed the need to institutionalize the reforms laid down in the amended Public Service Act to liberalize industries, promote efficient service delivery and foster competition as an enduring policy.

They said the advertising industry currently already has foreign players and liberalizing the same “is a logical and sound policy to attract foreign direct investment in that industry.”

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers called for the House to convene into a Committee of the Whole when discussing the resolution, saying it would help disabuse the minds of the public and senators that congressmen have ulterior motives in pushing for the amendments.

Villafuerte, who also attended the press briefing, said when RBH No. 7 is discussed in the Committee of the Whole, he wants to ask the question that nobody seems to be asking in the Senate to all those who are opposing Charter reform initiatives.

“We want to ask questions to the resource speakers questions that are not being asked in the Senate. Una kong tatanungin (are) those opposing Charter Change, I want to ask them why they oppose it because most of them say it’s not the right time to do it now,” Villafuerte said. “I will ask them, when is the right time? And why? These are not being asked in the Senate hearings. I want to ask them personally.”

Villafuerte said convening the Committee of the Whole does not necessarily mean that the House will be “fast-tracking” the approval of RBH No. 7. “The word ‘fast-track’ is not proper. I think ‘exhaustive’ is the keyword here. The reason why we’re doing this whether we go as a Committee of the Whole is to exhaustively discuss this issue. Para mas malaman ng taumbayan ano ba ang dini-discuss (So the public will know what we are discussing),” he said.

The House is expected to invite experts, especially on the economic front, to participate as resource persons in the exhaustive hearings on the amendments to the restrictive provisions of the Constitution, including economic managers and business chambers. — With Wendell Vigilia

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