ShareThisPASAY CITY – Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile wants Congress to amend the economic provisions of the Constitution to make the economy more vibrant and create more jobs for the people.
Enrile made the call during the opening of the Senate’s 2nd regular session whose agenda he identified.
Senator Enrile
Part of the agenda are the passage of the P1.8 trillion national budget, the reproductive health bill, the creation of the People’s Survival Fund for calamities, a National Land Use Policy, and an Anti-Trust Law, among others.
”This very important issue (charter change) must be debated on openly and intelligently as we try to help infuse the economy with sufficient stimuli that will spur growth in our industries and businesses and create more jobs for our people,” Enrile said.
”Congressional action on this proposition may not come soon enough but now is the appropriate time to lay it down on the table. As elected officials, we should be bold enough to finally discuss the need to initiate this,” Enrile added.
In front of big audience that includes diplomats at the gallery, Enrile challenged his colleagues to live up to expectations by making tough decisions with the hope “of finally seeing significant reforms in our society.”
”Our people expect us to address their economic needs. Our country abounds with idle human potential and untapped natural resources. It is time that both Houses of Congress crank the gears of the engine of sustainable development and use these available resources for the common good,” Enrile said.
“Let us work on them until they become laws of the land. I know how hard of you work in the service of our people. In this Second Regular Session the people expect us to perform our mandated duties with determination, dedication and without fear or favor,” Enrile said.
The veteran lawmaker also stressed the need to address “immediately” the issue of the Philippines’ territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea specifically the disputed Spratly Islands.
“The rift with China over our territorial claims is a wake-up call. While the issue must be settled diplomatically, the incident showed us how lacking our armed forces are in terms of military materiel and equipage. We have no decent military might to speak of, not even to defend our own territory,” Enrile said.
Enrile promised that the Senate “will not back down” from exposing irregularities in the government specially during the past governments as exposed during the past Senate inquiries like the corruption in the military, in the government owned and controlled corporations and in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
”The human propensity to abuse power and, to some extent, acquire illegal wealth, remains a challenge for us lawmakers. Thus, we shall endeavor to craft legislations that will address and correct what is wrong in the bureaucracy,” Enrile said.