Manila, Philippines – Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has forwarded to Malacañang a draft executive order (EO) on the appointment of members of a constitutional commission (con-com) that would come up with a new Constitution.

“I have sent the draft to President Duterte through Executive Secretary (Salvador) Medialdea. I hope the President will approve it so he could already appoint the con-com members,” Alvarez said yesterday.

He said he proposed that 25 members comprise the commission.

A new Constitution will pave the way for a shift to a federal system of government.

“If the members could be appointed in September, then they can start their work in October,” he said.

He has endorsed to Duterte retired chief justice Reynato Puno and former appellate justice Manuel Lazaro as con-com members. “They have enough experience how to fix the system,” he said of the two.

Alvarez added the preparatory body would be composed of experts in law and the Constitution.

Alvarez pointed out he would like the commission to finish its work in six months so it could submit its draft to the House of Representatives and the Senate early next year.

The two chambers would then convene as a constituent assembly (con-ass) to finalize and vote on the draft, he said.

The manner of voting in con-ass remains unresolved. Senators want that the two chambers vote separately; otherwise, the larger House will always outvote the 24-member Senate.

Alvarez, on the other hand, is of the view that senators and congressmen should vote on a new Constitution as one assembly, since they would function as Charter framers and no longer as lawmakers.

Duterte was initially advocating the amendment of the Constitution for federalism through an elected constitutional convention (con-con).

But when told that the election alone of con-con delegates could cost taxpayers about P7 billion, plus P3 billion in operational expenses of the convention for one year, he changed his mind.

He agreed to support the proposal of some of his congressional allies for con-ass, since it would be faster and less expensive.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Constitution Association has expressed support for a federal form of government with a unicameral parliamentary system. Puno and Lazaro are Philconsa members.

“Philconsa is united behind the efforts to revise the Constitution. The submission to the Palace of draft con-com is good news to further strengthen our development programs for the fair distribution of the benefits of our economic growth,” Philconsa president and former Leyte congressman Martin Romualdez stressed. – With Delon Porcalla