Robin Padilla expressed his support for pursuing “Cha-cha” in the PH

Senator Robinhood Padilla expressed frustration and disappointment over the lack of support from his colleagues for a resolution he introduced in 2023 aimed at amending the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution. As the chair of the Senate constitutional amendments committee, Padilla initially hoped that the proposed amendments would garner approval from the 24-member Senate. Many senators, including Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, initially showed favor for the resolution and had previously filed similar measures. However, Zubiri cited the prioritization of 10 urgent bills identified by the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) as the reason for delaying the amendment process.

Despite facing challenges, Padilla released a draft report in March 2023, but failed to gain sufficient support from his colleagues. In December 2023, he pushed for Charter change again, this time focusing on political provisions such as expanding the number of senators, extending the terms of office for senators and representatives, and proposing joint candidacy for the president and vice president for a four-year term with one reelection opportunity.

Padilla believed that these changes would ensure a balance between leadership stability and democratic continuity and shift the electoral landscape towards a unified policy agenda for more effective governance. However, his resolution once again failed to progress to the Senate plenary.

Padilla acknowledged the support of Filipino voters who elected him as their voice in the Senate, admitting that without their backing, he might have considered resignation. Despite being the top senator in the 2022 elections, Padilla stated that seniority held more value in the Senate culture, making it challenging for neophyte senators to garner support from their colleagues.

While Padilla expressed his support for other proposed resolutions, such as Resolution of Both Houses 6 and RBH 7, he remained committed to pushing for amendments to both the economic and political provisions of the Constitution. However, he highlighted the need for the Senate and the House of Representatives to first resolve the issue of whether to vote jointly or separately before proceeding with further constitutional amendments.

Politics News: Robin Padilla expressed his support for pursuing “Cha-cha” in the PH