Charter change word war sparks call for ‘Parliamentary decorum’

Veteran lawmaker Elpidio Barzaga Jr. has called for an end to the word war between the Senate and the House of Representatives over plans to amend economic provisions in the constitution. Barzaga argued that lawmakers should “observe parliamentary courtesy” and settle any differences privately. He agreed that the formulation of implementing rules for the three laws on foreign investment was the task of the executive department and called for lawmakers from both chambers to sit down and settle their differences. Barzaga suggested that the opposition to constitutional change from the Senate was due to the possibility that the constitutional conventional proposed by the House would also change political provisions. However, he insisted that the proposed convention was only meant to ease economic restrictions, possibly including land ownership, which is currently reserved for Filipino citizens only.