A ranking member of the House of Representatives has confirmed plans for a plebiscite for the People’s Initiative to be held by July. Albay 2nd District Rep. Jose Maria Clemente “Joey” Salceda, who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, stated that the proponents of the people’s initiative are pushing for a plebiscite that could ratify the proposal allowing the Senate and the House of Representatives to vote jointly instead of separately on constitutional amendments.
Salceda confirmed the timeline for the plebiscite, stating, “As far as it was explained to me by the proponents, they want to hit it by July… I confirm that timeline.” The Kabataan party-list recently revealed their plan to hold the plebiscite before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July.
However, Deputy Majority Leader for communications Erwin Tulfo (ACT-CIS party-list) denied the existence of a timeline for the plebiscite. Salceda clarified that the July timeline is not intended as a “gift” for President Marcos during the SONA. He explained, “That is not the point. The point is it should be reasonably actionable, that there is enough time before the 2025 elections. The rival of that timeline is that by October, we will be filing [certificates of candidacy for 2025] already and there is no talk of them going in parallel.”
Salceda further revealed that 60 districts have reached the minimum threshold for signatures of three percent, as required by the Constitution. However, 20 districts are facing challenges in convincing voters to sign the petitions. Although he did not disclose the districts that have not reached the three percent threshold, he mentioned that some towns in his province, Albay, have already surpassed the signature requirement, and the signed petitions are being filed at the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
In addition to the plebiscite, Salceda emphasized the need for further constitutional amendments to fully unlock the country’s potential for foreign investment. He highlighted the lack of investments in agriculture and suggested that foreign capital and technology could significantly boost the growth of this sector. Salceda believes that agriculture has the potential to grow by six percent per annum with the infusion of foreign resources.
Salceda also mentioned other industries, such as advertising and mass media, that would benefit from constitutional amendments. He expressed support for the Senate’s Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) 6, which proposes amendments, but also stressed the importance of the House-led RBH 2. Salceda suggested that a constituent assembly could amend the resolutions, even if the Senate insists on voting separately.
In summary, the plebiscite for the People’s Initiative is set to take place in July, according to Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda. While there is some debate about the timeline, Salceda clarified that the objective is to ensure there is enough time before the 2025 elections. Additionally, Salceda highlighted the importance of constitutional amendments to attract foreign investment, particularly in the agriculture sector. He also mentioned the potential benefits for industries such as advertising and mass media.
Source: The Manila Times
