A GROUP of administration lawmakers led by deputy speakers Paolo Ortega V of La Union and Jefferson Khonghun of Zambales yesterday filed a resolution calling for the convening of a constitutional convention (con-con) to amend the Constitution and lower the minimum age requirement for the president, vice president and senators.
The lawmakers, who are the top lieutenants of Speaker Martin Romualdez, filed Resolution of Both Houses (RBH No. 2), which seeks to bring down the current age thresholds from 40 to 35 for the president and vice president, and from 35 to 30 for senators.
The other authors of the measure are Reps. Ernesto Dionisio Jr. of Manila, Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur, Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez (PL, 1-Rider), Eduardo Rama of Cebu City and Lordan Suan of Cagayan de Oro City.
The lawmakers said the move will infuse young blood into government leadership.
“By opening the highest offices to leaders as young as 35, we give the Filipino people a chance to be led by the energy and creativity of the youth, ready to carry the nation forward,” they said, adding that, “leadership is not defined by age alone but by competence and integrity, and that youth empowerment must be institutionalized in the highest law of the land, not left as a token space in government appointments.”
They also said: “Panahon na para marinig ang tinig ng bagong henerasyon (It’s time to hear the voice of the new generation). Leadership is not about age but about vision, malasakit at kagustuhan na magsilbi (empathy and desire to serve).”
The proposed resolution pointed out that “thirty-eight years since the ratification of the Constitution, the Philippines has undergone major demographic and social shifts, with more than 52 percent of the population under the age of 30, reflecting a vibrant, dynamic, and increasingly educated youth sector.”
It likewise noted that while the country has a youthful population, its political leadership “remains dominated by older generations, creating a gap between governance and the aspirations of younger citizens.”
The group of lawmakers said the Filipino youth can handle the country’s top posts because they have proven themselves to be “globally competitive, socially aware, and capable of national leadership.”
They lamented that aspiring political leaders must wait until the age of 40 before they can run for president or vice president, “a barrier that effectively sidelines younger leaders despite their readiness to serve.”
By following the examples of countries like the United States, where the constitutional age for the presidency is 35, the authors said the reform “strengthens youth representation, promotes intergenerational leadership and embodies the spirit of inclusivity, renewal, and empowerment of the next generation of leaders.”
Once the resolution is adopted by both houses of Congress, an election of con-con delegates will be held. Their final proposed amendments will then be submitted to a plebiscite for ratification of the people, who have the power to approve or reject it.
Last month, Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno of Antipolo City also called for a con-con to address what he described as “enduring ambiguities” and deficiencies that weaken its (Constitution) legal foundations and degrade its reliability as the fundamental law of the land.”
Puno, the chairman of the National Unity Party (NUP), the second largest political party at the House with 44 members, pointed to instances in which “ambiguous provisions and textual flaws weakened the Charter’s legal foundations.”
He particularly cited the Senate leadership’s interpretation of the word “forthwith” in Article XI, Section 3(4) on impeachment, “which should have been a procedural safeguard against delay, but has instead become a source of deadlock and controversy.”
Senate President Francis Escudero has drawn heavy flak for not convening the impeachment court immediately after the House of Representatives sent the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte to the Senate last February even if the Charter clearly states that trial shall be held “forthwith.”
