MANILA – The House of Representatives approved on Tuesday the proposed federal charter on third and final reading.
With 224 affirmative votes, 22 negative votes and three abstentions, the Lower Chamber passed Resolution of Both Houses 15, which proposes revisions to the 1987 Constitution.
House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and over two dozen lawmakers principally authored the measure.
The measure proposes a presidential-bicameral-federal system of government and empowers Congress to establish federal states.
The terms of the president and the vice president, which shall end in 2022, shall not be extended. The incumbent president is also prohibited from running in the 2022 elections.
It seeks to adopt and develop a two-party system as a mechanism of representation and democratic governance.
The first election under the proposed constitution shall be held on the second Monday of May 2022.
The measure mandates that the president and vice president maintain the same powers and functions as those in the 1987 Constitution.
But the proposal requires that a vote for the president shall also be a vote for the vice president, and both officials must come from the same party.
Their terms of office are also limited to four years with one year for re-election.
Moreover Resolution of Both Houses 15 proposes the adoption of a bicameral legislature wherein the House shall comprise no more than 300 representatives and the Senate, 24 senators.
The measure lifts the term limits for members of Congress and requires them to have a college degree.
The proposal does not contain an anti-political dynasty provision.
The resolution was put to a vote on second reading last week after only three session days of plenary debates. (PNA)
