Senator Robin Padilla said he will meet with members of the House of Representatives on Monday to discuss the mode of amending the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution.

The two modes are through the constitutional convention (con-con) and the constituent assembly (con-ass).

The House previously passed House Bill 7352, a measure that seeks to amend the Constitution by holding a constitutional convention, on third reading.

The Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments had finished deliberating on revising the economic provisions of the Constitution and will be making a committee report to be signed by senators.

Afterwards, the proposed revisions to the economic provisions of the Constitution will be taken up in the plenary.

In a press conference, Padilla announced that congressmen will be presenting the constitutional convention bill in the Senate.

“This coming Monday, we are inviting you to attend the hearing on the bill filed by the House on the con-con,” Padilla said.

“If we are going to talk about the con-con in the Senate, we are going to place that responsibility on the members of the House. That’s why we are inviting them to go there on Monday to present to Senators,” he added.

Padilla, chairman of the Senate Committee of Constitutional Amendments, said he firmly believes that his bill on amending the Constitution through a constituent assembly will be approved by the committee and will be taken up in the plenary.

Earlier during the hearing in Cebu City, he said that the economic provisions of the Constitution need to be amended since the present charter giving foreign investors a 40 percent cap was restrictive to foreign investors.

This resulted in the Philippines having the lowest foreign direct investments among the top five Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries, said Padilla.

Padilla also presented the estimated cost of holding a constitutional convention and constituent assembly.

If held simultaneously with the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, a constitutional convention would cost P14.7 billion while a constituent assembly would cost P46 million.

But if held separately from the local elections, a constitutional convention would cost P28.5 billion while a constituent assembly would cost P13.8 billion. Jaspearl Tan/DMS