Efforts to amend the 1987 Philippine Constitution have once again been revived as Ako Bicol Representative Alfredo Garbin filed Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 1 today, July 15 (Tuesday).
The resolution seeks to revise provisions concerning national territory and key economic policies.
Specifically, the resolution proposes amendments to Article I (National Territory), Article XII (National Economy and Patrimony), Article XIV (Education, Science, Technology, Arts, Culture, and Sports), and Article XVI (General Provisions).
In a media interview, Rep. Garbin explained that the resolution mirrors previous measures filed during the 18th and 19th Congresses, with the new inclusion of amendments to the National Territory clause.
“Well, we filed today the Resolution of Both Houses of Congress No. 1 that proposes amendments to Article I of our Constitution, which (covers) National Territory, and Article XII, XIV, and XVI, which are the restrictive economic provisions of our Constitution,” Garbin said.
“There will be slight changes because what we filed and what was passed during the 18th Congress, Resolution of Both Houses No. 2, only covered the amendment to restrictive economic provisions.”
Garbin emphasized the importance of institutionalizing the Philippines’ 2016 victory in the West Philippine Sea arbitration case into the Constitution.
“The National Territory definition is silent on the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf that we won in the arbitral tribunal,” he stated.
“We should enshrine it in our Constitution. Our President said we will not give even an inch of our territory.”
Garbin noted that his proposal is a contribution to upholding the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).