HOUSE Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin on Thursday advised Makabayan bloc members to shed their fear of changing the Constitution, saying it would not improve the living conditions of Filipinos who are mostly poor.

“It’s human nature to be afraid of change. Natural po ‘yan sa tao. Bawat tao, kapag meron pagbabago, any change, kaakibat doon ‘yung fear at…pero ang katanungan, kung patuloy tayo magpapa-manipula sa…fear of change, walang patutunguhan ang bansa natin at ikakahiya natin ‘yun sa ating mga apo at mga apo ng ating apo,” she told a news briefing.

“Change is vital in any institution. Kasi habang umaandar ang mundo, umaandar ang mga taon, kaakibat diyan ay ang pagbabago para tugunan ang mga pangangailangan,” she said.

Garin recalled that Filipinos were using beepers before the advent of mobile phones.

“Itong mga pagbabago sa teknolohiya, kapag dumarating, ang dami munang intriga before ginagamit, kasi ganoon talaga iyon. Again, it’s human nature to be afraid of change, but that fear is always overcome by the positive impact of that change,” she said.

She said the House advocacy of amending the restrictive economic provisions of the Constitution has also been attended by intrigues.

“Yung economic Cha-cha, madaming mga intriga. Pero tingnan natin ang panukalang batas. Nakasaad doon ang tatlong bagay na nilagyan ng ‘unless otherwise provided by law.’ Tatlo iyon – public utilities, ibig sabihin transport sector, kuryente, internet tubig at iba pa related to public utilities. Pangalawa, education sector Pangatlo, advertising industry. Iyan iyong tatlong nakasaad sa Resolution of Both Houses No. 7,” she said.

“In other words, diyan ka lang iikot, hindi ka naman pwedeng gumawa ng batas na talagang malayong-malayo…that is very clear. Kaya ‘yung mga takot ng Makabayan bloc, hindi po ‘yan mangyayari,” she added.

Garin explained that the insertion of the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” in the Constitution’s economic provisions would give flexibility to Congress in passing laws affecting public utilities, education and advertising.

“All of this just means flexibility, dahil ang nangyari sa Pilipinas ikinahon tayo,” she stressed.

The Iloilo lawmaker, who is a medical doctor, likened the proposed grant of flexibility to Congress to the practice of medicine.

She said a doctor’s fear of legal issues could limit her options in treating patients.

“Natanggalan ka ng flexibility kasi takot kang makasuhan. Ganyan din ang nangyayari sa ating Konstitusyon. Kung ang iyong Konstitusyon ay masyadong nakakahon at sa bilis ng galaw ng mundo ay talagang maiiwan ka. Hindi makagalaw ang gobyerno dahil palaging tinitignan mo baka kasuhan ka.There are always legal obstacles kasi naging inflexible,” she said.

“In other words, economic chacha is all about flexibility. Calculated flexibility na kapag may problema, may challenge, may pagbabago sa buong mundo, agad-agad ‘yung Kongreso ay gagawa ng panukalang batas to address that specific problem. Ganoon lang po talaga ang ibig sabihin,” she said.

She lamented that the intrigues being association with the push for economic amendments.

“There is really a trust issue. Kasi ipinalabas sa taumbayan, the previous proponents kasi mayroon siyang kaakibat na political amendments. Proposal on no election, iyong mga ganuon. Kitang-kita natin dito, wala!” Garin declared.

“It is because the direction and the directive of the current administration is not to taint the law. Not to taint the proposed measure. Kaya nga kitang-kita and very transparent, this is all about our economy. This is all about giving our Filipino people the choice na kung gusto mo mag-aral, na kung gusto mo mag-improve, marami kang choice. Kung kukuha ka ng internet provider, marami kang pagpipilian. Kung tubig naman ang pag-uusapan, hindi ka tali sa isang kumpanya,” she said.

Assistant Majority Leader and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong stressed the need to update the 37-year old Constitution.

“This is a Constitution that was done prior to the advent of Netflix, prior to the advent of Google, prior to the advent of many other technologies na sinabi nga ng aking mga kasamahan dito.

Opportunities are outside, we just have to grab it. But we cannot, because we simply do not want it, because of fear,” he said.

“Ang nakikita ko po based on what I’ve seen and heard during both the committee hearings… and both those who are proposing is that my take on that is there is fear. It is masquerading as patriotism, as nationalism. So wala naman po pwedeng magmonopolya ng nationalism at patriotism,” he said.

For his part, Quezon City Rep. Marvin Rillo expressed the suspicion that Filipino oligarchs, who he said are receiving royalties from their foreign partners, may be sabotaging the House push for the liberalization of the Constitution’s economic provisions.

“Pinapalabas nila na ang Kongreso ay may ibang agenda, political agenda. We would like to assure the Filipino people na kung meron man maipasok na political agenda, kami mismo na nandirito ang lalaban para hindi ito magtagumpay. We are concentrating on the economic provisions of Cha-cha and we woud stick by that. We would do this because the Filipino people need help and we need change,” he said.

“Look at Dubai, they charge very low taxes, yet they invite big investors. Napakayaman na bansa. Doon walang oligarko. Pwede ka maghanapbuhay. Dito lang sa ating bansa na kung saan ang batas natin ay halos nagbibigay ng halos lahat ng negosyo sa iilang oligarko. Iyon ang tinatrabaho ng Kongreso – na magkaroon ng pantay-pantay na paghahanapbuhay o pagne-negosyo sa ating bansa,” he said.