Charter change beyond economic provisions ‘likely’

Tuesday, October 11, 2011
THE chairman of the House panel considering amendments to the 1987 Constitution admitted that “there is no guarantee” that Congress will focus only on economic provisions.
Misamis Occidental Representative Loreto Leo Ocampos made this admission during the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments hearing on Tuesday.
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During the proceedings, non-government organizations signified opposition to efforts of Congress to amend the Charter’s economic provisions.
“There is no guarantee …everyone has their right to propose amendments,” Ocampos said in an ambush interview.
Ocampos, a member of the Liberal Party (LP), also stressed the importance of having a party stand despite the reluctance of President Benigno Aquino III on Charter change (Cha-cha).
“It is understandable that he (Aquino) is trying to keep a distance kasi malabo pa,” he added.
The committee chairman said the party will initiate a survey to find out the pulse of the nation on proposals to amend the Constitution.
Bayan Muna Representative Teddy Casino, for his part, pointed out that majority of the resource persons invited by the House panel said “there is no need for Cha-cha and it would in fact worsen our economy.”
“There is no clamor for Cha-cha and those who want it are just the Liberal party and big foreign corporations,” he added.
Ibon Foundation Network head Sonny Africa told committee members that Cha-cha will only “reinforce the worst aspects of Philippine economic policy-making.”
The Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa) also opposed amending the economic provisions, pointing out that such provisions are “interwoven with all the provisions of the Constitution.”
“The Constitution is like an edifice with every part properly welded with each other that an attempt to repair a part of it will weaken the other parts and eventually the whole structure itself,” the group’s position paper stated.
House and Senate leaders revived proposals to amend the Constitution in the first legislative assembly organized by both chambers last month.
Senator Franklin Drilon proposed that constitutional amendments be taken up through a bicameral constituent assembly wherein proposals will be individually taken up by the respective committees of both chambers.
Let Supreme Court decide, senator says
In the Senate, questions on the validity of amending the Constitution through a bicameral constitutional assembly ought to be left to the Supreme Court, Senator Franklin Drilon said Tuesday.
Drilon, who has proposed amending the country’s basic law by having the Senate and House deliberate and vote on them separately, said he believes his proposal is sound. This, despite opposition from Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, an expert on constitutional law.
She said Monday that treating amendments as if they were regular legislation would be unconstitutional and “dead wrong”.
“By definition, a Constitution is higher than ordinary law and therefore, you cannot possibly adopt the procedures for ordinary legislation to a constitutional process,” she said.
Drilon, also a lawyer, said he respects Santiago’s position.
“We have our own opinion and at the end of the day, it will be the Supreme Court who will decide which of the two opinions are valid,” he said.
The bicameral constitutional assembly has also been criticized at the House of Representatives, with House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman calling it a “mongrel” method.
Lagman, another lawyer, said the Constitution only allows amendment through three modes: constitutional amendment, constitutional convention, and people’s initiative.
He said Congress — both the House and Senate — must jointly approve amendments with a two-thirds vote.
“Amendments by legislation are not authorized,” Lagman has said.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile has opposed this, saying the 1987 Constitution does not say Congress must vote together.
Drilon said it will be up to the Supreme Court to decide “whether or not this fourth mode would be a valid way of amending the Constitution.”
‘No False Hopes’
Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, in a press statement Tuesday, said amending the Constitution “will only create bigger problems.”
“Bringing the people’s attention to Charter Change and making them believe that it will solve all of the country’s problems, especially concerning the economy, is really just giving them false hopes,” he said.
He said foreign investors balk at putting money into the Philippines not because of protectionist economic provisions but because of the peace and order situation, graft and corruption, high power rates, and a lack of infrastructure.
He said the government should “be creative” and look for alternatives to charter change.
Cayetano cited “Thailand’s aggressive move to improve social services by removing taxes on petroleum products and substantially raising the country’s minimum wage” as an example.
According to a Bloomberg report, the Thai government is still in talks with workers and employers on a proposal to raise the minimum wage to 300 baht ($9.64, 421.83 pesos) a day.
Business groups have criticized the proposal, saying higher business costs will lower exports and could mean they will have to fire workers.
In July, the Thai government scrapped a requirement for oil companies to give money to an Oil Stabilization Fund. Removing that requirement would retail lower fuel prices but would cut into the fund, already in debt by $722 million that month.
Santiago also said that constitutional amendments will not cure the country’s ills.
“The issue, as always, is the economic regulatory system so certain and stable that when an investor comes with his money and capital and invests it in our economy, he will be sure that in the next 20 to 30 years the rules will remain the same? That’s the main reason why we don’t have foreign investments because the rules keep changing all the time. Plus, the degree of corruption of course distorts the rules,” she said Monday.(Kathrina Alvarez/Jonathan de Santos/Sunnex)
Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2011/10/11/charter-change-beyond-economic-provisions-likely-184555

Leading Philippines Wine Supplier Yats Wine Cellars based in Clark Philippines with outlets in Angeles City, Subic Freeport and Manila Philippines has been not only a wine shop for fine wines covering all major wine regions but also a source of reliable and useful information about wine, wine appreciation, wine accessories, wine and health, food and wine pairing and all other matters relating to wine and its appreciation. This Philippines Clark Freeport based Wine Supplier and Wine Shop frequently holds public wine tasting events in Pampana Clark Freeport Zone, Angeles City, Subic Bay area, Makati, Fort Bonifacio and other areas in Philippines capital city Manila. Private Wine events such as private wine tasting and private wine dinners are also designed and organized for private clientele for their wine loving guests.

This wine shop in Angeles Clark Philippines is also renowned for a very unique product called Vintage Beer which many characterize as “Champagne beer” because it comes in a bottle with a Champagne stopper and metal restrainer. Vintage beers are top-of-the-line luxury beers bottle-conditioned for a slow fermentation to take place inside the bottle, a process that is very similar to Champagne which is designed to not only create the bubbles but also for an amazing complexity and depth of flavors.

For fans of Port and Sauternes, this wine shop in Clark Pampanga has a large selection of vintage port, Sauternes and Barsac as well as Eiswein/Icewine from Austria and Germany. Likewise, there is a good selection of Vintage Champagne at the wine shoppers’ disposal in the cellars of this wine shop in Clark Pampanga.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
(045) 841 4006 / 0922-870-5173 / 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center. Visitors buy wine in Manila and Pampanga should not miss stopping at this wine shop for a few bottles of fine vintage wines to bring home.

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

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While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.yatsleisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com

http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Yats Restaurant is the best restaurant for special dinner, best restaurant for dinner with friends near Manila, also the best place to celebrate special events.

A Well-known Restaurant in Pampnga, an interesting place to celebrate Birthday Party in Pampnga.
A best place to dine with friends in Pampanga

Are you looking for an attractive restaurant or a nice place to eat with friends in Clark, Angeles City Pampanga? Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar is a restaurant with good food and good wines for dinner located at Clark Angeles City Pampanga. Perfect for exclusive dinner venues for groups, recommended for private dinner in Philippines. A Restaurant in Clark for business dinner meeting. Private dinner place or dinner restaurant in Clark Subic Near Manila Angeles City Pampanga. Yats Restaurant is one of the Good Restaurant in Pampanga Angeles City Clark near Manila. Looking for a restaurant in Clark for a Business meeting? Or a place to eat with friends? Yats Restaurant offers exclusive dinner venue for groups, a good place to celebrate special occasions, it can be a party venue in town. Yats Restaurant is a recommended restaurant for private dinner in Philippines, a well-recognized restaurant that serves good food and good wines for dinner.

www.YatsRestaurant.com
Looking for interesting hotels near Manila Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga?
Trouble free hotels and well recognized hotels in Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga
Clearwater Resort and Country Club offers a good place to stay in Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga. In offers nice place to have rest in Subic Pampanga outside Manila.
One of the Philippines top hotels in north Luzon.

Where to go in Clark? Hotel Clark Philippines is a De Luxe Hotel in Clark and Subic, a risk free place to stay, cozy and nice ambience, a nice function place for special occasion. It is one of North Luzon Philippines’ top hotels that is trouble free, risk free, and a nice place to have rest in Subic. A well-recognized and interesting hotel.

www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com