Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque. INQUIRER file photo / JOAN BONDOC
The proposed federal Constitution crafted by the 22-member Consultative Committee (Con-com) on Charter change is now open to public scrutiny and possible revisions, Malaca帽ang announced on Thursday.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the public can send their feedback in writing, through email, or in person.
It can be submitted to the Office of the Presidential Spokesperson, the Presidential Communications Operations Office, or the Office of the President, Roque said.
Both President Rodrigo Duterte and the Con-com would consider the public鈥檚 feedback in improving the draft Charter.
鈥淭he President would consider the comments of the people and can improve the draft before submitting it to Congress,鈥� Roque said in a press briefing.
鈥淲e will consider the feedback, and if need be, incorporate some of them in the proposal to Congress. Of course, the feedback is also important to Congress,鈥� the spokesman said.
鈥楢pprehensions鈥� of Cabinet members
President Duterte was apparently prompted to seek the public鈥檚 scrutiny after some of his Cabinet secretaries expressed their 鈥渁pprehension鈥� with the draft federal Charter鈥檚 economic aspects.
To recall, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia raised their concerns on the possible implications that federalism may bring on the country鈥檚 economy.
鈥淭o be candid about it, it started when his own members of the Cabinet expressed apprehensions over the economic aspect of the proposed draft 鈥榥o,鈥� Roque said.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what prompted the President to be open to suggestions and criticisms on the proposed revisions as submitted by the Consultative (Committee),鈥� he said.
鈥楻easoned, intelligent鈥� procedure
Subjecting the draft federal Constitution to close public scrutiny was also Duterte鈥檚 way of getting Filipinos to participate in a 鈥渞easoned鈥� and 鈥渋ntelligent鈥� discourse on Charter change.
鈥淭he period for discussion is very important that we have open, frank, candid and reasoned discussion on the proposed revisions considering the importance of the Constitution as the fundamental law of the land,鈥� Roque said.
鈥淲e want this to be a reasoned and an intelligent procedure,鈥� he added.聽/je