Published July 28, 2018, 9:38 AM
By Charissa Luci-Atienza

The hearing on the proposed Federal Constitution will push through as scheduled on August 1, Wednesday, the chairman of the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments assured today.

Southern Leyte Rep. Roger Mercado said he will continue serving as chairman of the panel and will facilitate discussions on the draft Charter, which was submitted by the Consultative Committee (Con-Com)on July 11.

“We are scheduling the Committee hearing on Wednesday, August 1. I will continue working as chairman since there are no Committee elections yet,” he said in an interview.

The Mercado panel was supposed to conduct a hearing on ConCom’s draft Charter on July 25. Mercado said they postponed the hearing as “they have to wait and see for leadership guidance.”

He maintained that the mandate of his panel is to study the recommendations made by the Con-Com, chaired by former Chief Justice Reynato Puno.

Mercado earlier said he is willing to relinquish his post if he is called to do so.

Negros Occidental Rep. Albee Benitez, chairman of the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development, disclosed that Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo met with different committee chairmen and instructed: “to continue with the legislative work and to see to it that it will not be delayed.”

Deputy Speaker and Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro said the House will push for the President’s legislative agenda.

“I am sure, she will push the legislative agenda of President Rodrigo Duterte,” he said in a separate interview.

He asked the critics of President Duterte not to put a price tag on his federalism proposal, saying that its projected cost will be outweighed by economic growth and development it would deliver in the country, especially in the countryside.

He said the shift to federalism is needed to attain peace and development and uplift the living conditions of Filipinos.