Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Speaker Feliciano Belmonte are set to meet this weekend to thresh out how they can push through with amending the economic provisions of the Constitution even if President  Aquino shows no interest in the issue.
Belmonte said his meeting with Enrile is aimed at expediting Charter change (Cha-cha) given the short period left in the Third Regular Session of Congress which starts on July 23.
“I am going to meet the Senate President this weekend to once and for all settle the issue of amending some economic provisions of the Constitution to further push the country’s bullish economy,” Belmonte told House reporters yesterday.
“Charter change is not yet dead,” he stressed, referring to several proposals that have been pending at the House committee on constitutional amendments for months.
The House leader, however, said the proposal will not take off unless the President supports the move.
“If the President will get on board on this initiative, we have better chances,” Belmonte admitted.
“Theoretically, efforts to amend the Constitution belong to Congress, but we need all his (President Aquino) blessings to make the initiative successful because at the end of the day, he will make the final judgment after Congress passes the amendments and agreed upon by the people through the plebiscite,” he said.
Belmonte added they would first discuss strategies on how to push Cha-cha before appealing to the President who is against amending the Constitution.
Aquino had insisted that overall economic advantages rather than a country’s political system was the basis for deciding to invest in a country.
“We’ll have to meet first and agree on the strategies. But we are a very supportive Congress and we passed everything to sustain economic growth and restore business confidence in the

Cha-cha before appealing to the President who is against amending the Constitution.
Aquino had insisted that overall economic advantages rather than a country’s political system was the basis for deciding to invest in a country.
“We’ll have to meet first and agree on the strategies. But we are a very supportive Congress and we passed everything to sustain economic growth and restore business confidence in the country,” he said.
But Belmonte agreed with the earlier position of House Majority Leader and Mandaluyong City Rep. Neptali Gonzales II that deliberations on the proposed P2.006 trillion national budget for 2013 and the next year’s midterm polls may affect Cha-cha’s chances.
He also clarified what he will discuss with Enrile is not limited to economic issues but also about how to get more funds for the military.
“Only in reforming the economic provisions and we will not entertain political amendments. Congress can address the budgetary concerns for additional funds for the military through the normal appropriations process,” he pointed out.
Some of the restrictive economic provisions cover only three areas of the economy that restricts the role of foreign direct investments: the ownership of land, the operation and ownership of public utilities, and the exploitation of natural resources.
The present provisions allow for only 40 percent foreign ownership of corporations.