CAGAYAN de Oro 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez today said the House of Representatives approved on the third and final reading on Tuesday, the enabling law of a resolution seeking the establishment of a Constitutional convention (Concon) for the amendment or revision of the 1987 Constitution.

Voting 301-seven without abstention, the House approved House Bill (HB) 7352 for the implementation of Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) 6, which was approved by the House last week.

Rodriguez said House Bill 7352, or the Concon bill, mustered 301 pro-votes to pass on final reading.

“No one abstained from the nominal voting,” said Rodriguez adding as presided over by Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Rodriguez, chairman of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments, said the bill provides the details on the composition, election, and qualifications of delegates, including sectoral representatives, as well as terms and remuneration of the members.

The bill mandates an election of one delegate from each of the 253 legislative districts in the country, according to Rodriguez.

The ‘hybrid’ Concon shall likewise have a 20 percent representation from sectoral groups which will be jointly appointed by the Senate President and Speaker of the House.

The tenure of delegates shall begin on December 1, 2023, until June 30, 2024.

It’s being proposed that the election will be made simultaneously with the barangay and Sanggunian Kabataan (SK) elections on October 30, this year.

“The necessary funds to hold the election of delegates will be charged with the existing available budget of Comelec,” said Rodriguez.

Meanwhile, any amount necessary for the operations of the Constitutional Convention and the subsequent plebiscite shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Rodriguez disclosed that the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Rules, chaired by Senator Robinhood Padilla, will conduct a public hearing on March 20, 2023, to discuss RBH No. 6.

It can be noted that RBH No. 6 was approved by Congress on March 6, 2023, after a series of public hearings and consultations nationwide.