House starts talks on draft Federal constitution

October 8, 2018

The House of Representatives began plenary deliberations on the draft federal Charter with a proposal to lift lawmakers’ term limits Monday.

The draft Constitution that stemmed from resolution of both Houses of  Congress No. 15 under committee report No. 88 by the House committee on constitutional amendments was already sponsored in the plenary by Leyte Rep. Vicente Veloso, the panel chairman, and Davao Oriental Rep. Corazon Nuñez-Malanyaon, a vice chair of the committee.

Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said congressmen and senators must decide if they will push for lifting the term limits of legislators and local officials under the proposed federal Constitution.

“It’s really a collegial decision,” Arroyo told reporters an ambush interview.

Under the House’ draft Constitution, the president and vice president will be elected with each other to serve four-year terms, subject to one re-election. Lawmakers, who should be holders of college degrees, will serve four-year terms. DMS