MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. lauded both Houses of Congress for arriving at a consensus in the push to amend the economic provisions of the Constitution.

“So, that is the legislative state of play as it were. The Senate is continuing with the hearings. The House (of Representatives) has already passed on second reading. What is more important than all of that for me, is that it is practically the same resolution. And that is that’s for me is the key point in this process. We have arrived at a consensus,” President Marcos said during a media interview Friday in Prague prior to departing to the Philippines.

“We all knew how this when this began, how contentious this was. Well, we seem to be going down a common road now between the two Houses. So, that’s the, that for me is the important thing,” he said.

Asked for update on the bills filed in Congress on constitutional amendments, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said the Senate is on track and has about three more hearings left and “then we’ll be taking it up on the delivery.”

“And we’re convincing our colleagues that we have a three-fourth aboard of this measure. But strong point. We’re on track, we’re on track,” Zubiro told reporters.

On the other hand, Speaker Martin Romualdez said they have consumed substantial amount of time deliberating on the Resolution of Both Houses No. 7 (RBH 7) and he will let the discussions to focus on that.

“The House also exhaustively went through the process. We’ve been hearing from 12 hours. Hearing all those pro and against them. That said, we should. But again, to that context, it’s just that on the part of the House, we have already been through this whole process,” Romualdez said.

The administration has been pushing for amendment to the economic provisions of 1987 Constitution and other laws to make the Philippines more investment-friendly.

The President pointed out that the existing economic provisions are hindering potential investors from proceeding with their operations in the country. (PND)