Congressmen: Advanced economies amend their constitutions

From the United States up to Asia and Southeast Asia, advanced economies have had changes in their constitutions to keep their laws attuned to the evolving times, which paid off in terms of being global leaders in the community of nations, according to several congressmen.

- DELON PORCALLA

Reps. Joey Salceda of Albay’s 2nd District, who chairs the ways and means committee of the House of Representatives, and Teodoro Haresco Jr. (Aklan 2nd District) cited several countries that carried out changes in their internal policies if only to keep up with the changing times, particularly when the world has reached the digital age.

“It is natural and normal for democracies to revise their constitutions, to suit the evolving needs of the times, as well as to adjust for conditions that framers did not foresee,” Salceda said.

“The US constitution, the model constitution for republics like ours, has been amended 27 times, with the first amendments being made just months after the constitution went into effect,” the former director-general of the National Economic Development Authority added.