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Lawmaker says Con-con not 'expensive,' will only cost P10 billion

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Lawmakers deliberate during the 18th Congress at the House of Representatives in Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City on Aug. 28, 2019. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/03/07/20190828-congress-session-hall-jc-0890.jpg"/><figcaption>Lawmakers deliberate during the 18th Congress at the House of Representatives in Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City on Aug. 28, 2019. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — Amending the 1987 Constitution through a constitutional convention will only cost the government less than P10 billion, a lawmaker said Tuesday.According to Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, if the con-con will be held simultaneously with the barangay elections, the cost will be P1.5 billion.An additional P8 billion will be needed for the operations of the con-con and the plebiscite&#x27;s ratification of the new charter, he added.&quot;My goodness saying that this is expensive, no,&quot; Rodriguez told ANC&#x27;s &quot;Headstart&quot;.&quot;As stated by [former Supreme Court] Chief Justice Renato Puno, this expense for a constitutional convention to uplift, to improve our country is not an expense, it is an investment for our future,&quot; he added.The National Economic and Development Authority previously pegged the cost at P28 billion if the election of con-con delegates will be held separately from the national poll.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/06/23/house-oks-resolution-calling-for-economic-reforms-through-con-con">House OKs resolution calling for economic reforms through con-con</a></li></ul>A House super majority on Monday voted in favor of a resolution proposing economic amendments to the 1987 Constitution.Under Resolution of Both Houses No. 6, the con-con will be a hybrid assembly with elected and appointed members, with the election and appointment of delegates to be held simultaneously with the October 30, 2023 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls.The hybrid con-con will comprise of 251 elected delegates and 63 appointed delegates or a total of 316 members.Rodriguez, chairperson of the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments, said the resolution was clear on only amending the economic provisions of the charter.He doesn&#x27;t believe political amendments would be discussed by con-con delegates.&quot;We hope that those elected and appointed will just really concentrate on making our country open to foreign investments,&quot; he added.Rodriguez also urged the Senate, wherein most senators were lukewarm to the proposal, to have an open mind on revising the charter.&quot;We request our counterparts in the Senate to take a second look and look at the possibility of having a con-con,&quot; he said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/02/28/23/senators-raise-concerns-over-cost-of-constitutional-convention">Some senators raise concerns over cost of constitutional convention</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2492071" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Amending the 1987 Constitution through a constitutional convention will only cost the government less than P10 billion, a lawmaker said Tuesday.