Multisectoral groups picket against charter change in front of the Senate in Pasay City on May 22, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA - Sen. Cynthia Villar said Wednesday all senators were opposed to charter change.

"Lahat ng senador ayaw ng charter change. Bakit ka boboto sa isang change na will remove the Senate? Kasi under that charter change magiging parliamentary, wala nang Senado. Kayo ba gusto niyo na wala nang Senado? I think the Senate plays a role in parang control di ba yung di palaging tama ang wish ng House medyo binabalanse ng Senado," Villar told reporters.

(All senators are opposed to charter change. Why vote for a change that will remove the Senate? That change will mean a shift to a parliamentary form of government, abolishing the Senate. Would you want to abolish the Senate? The Senate balances out the wishes of the House.)

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Villar is also not buying economic charter change, stressing it is not what would entice businessmen to invest in the Philippines.

"Aang concern nila is yung ease of doing business less corruption at saka siguro maibaba natin ang power cost... yung ease of doing business pina-follow tapos less corruption and then ibaba natin ang power rates natin for manufacturing," Villar said.

(The priorities of businessmen are the ease of doing business, less corruption and cheaper electrical power, not relaxing economic provisions.)

The fate of economic charter change in the Senate is in limbo after Sen. Sonny Angara resigned as head of the subcommittee handling that matter as a result of the change in the Senate presidency.

Senate President Francis Escudero has expressed preference to return the economic charter change deliberations to the Committee on Constitutional Amendments chaired by Sen. Robinhood Padilla, who has expressed preference for political amendments. Escudero himself is against charter change.

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President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. previously stated that the Senate would take the lead in pursuing economic charter change. But relations between the Senate and the House have been strained in recent months as the House is pro-charter change.

Resolution of Both Houses 6 authored by Senators Miguel Zubiri, Angara and Loren Legarda proposed to empower Congress to regulate foreign investment limits in public utilities, higher education and advertising.

Angara led a consultation in Baguio City just days before giving up his chairmanship of that panel.