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By Jaspearl Tan

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the 1987 Constitution to be ''updated'' to prepare the country for future challenges, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said Monday.

Balisacan announced this when the Committee of the Whole House started its deliberations on Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 7, which seeks to reform the public sector, open access to educational institutions, and liberalize the advertising industry in a bid to attract more foreign investors.

“President Marcos has given his directive: the Constitution must be updated to meet the daunting challenges of the present and prepare us for the uncertainties and complexities of the future. We must lift restrictions on critical sectors such as public utilities, education, mass media, and advertising so that we can realize their untapped potential and enable them to contribute to the country’s economic progress,” Balisacan told lawmakers.

“Opening up public utilities to foreign investment will improve the quality and affordability of services, such as energy and water distribution, and offer viable options to address the financing gaps in the infrastructure sector,” he added.

Balisacan said while amending the Charter would not solve all of the economic problems, it could help it realize its full potential.

“To be sure, this initiative will not solve all our economic ills. Amending these economic provisions is one complementary strategy to unlock the country’s economic potential. Let me emphasize that we only reap the benefits I mentioned if we also address the other problems involving energy costs, inadequate connectivity infrastructure, slow bureaucratic processes, inconsistent local and national regulations, and highly concerning learning poverty and malnutrition,” Balisacan said.

“Conversely, a policy environment promoting openness to foreign investment can exert more significant pressure on the government to urgently address the complex challenges I have mentioned,” he said.

For his part, House Speaker Martin Romualdez said Monday the lower chamber will adopt all three economic amendments proposed by the Senate in RBH 6 to “dispel doubts” that their push for Charter change is politically motivated.

“This is our only intention, economy and not politics,” Romualdez said in his opening statement.

Romualdez also said that acting as a Committee of the Whole would allow all House lawmakers to “freely contribute to the discussion” on economic Charter change.

Majority Leader and Zamboanga Rep. Manuel Dalipe expressed his support for proposed changes to the economic provisions of the Constitutions.

“This reform in the economic policies of the country will redound to the benefit of the Filipino people who will be afforded more opportunities for education, employment, investments, and services from its government,” he added.

The solons also discussed the ground rules to be followed during the hearings on RBH 7. DMS