Duterte receives ‘pro-poor’ federal Constitution

President Rodrigo Duterte has received the proposed federal Constitution drafted by his 22-member charter change committee.

During a handover ceremony at Malacañang, Duterte accepted the proposed federal Charter from his Consultative Committee (Con-com) who worked on it for 140 days.

Former Chief Justice Reynato Puno, the chairman of the committee, handed over the draft to the President.

LOOK: President Duterte accepts draft federal constitution from 22-man consultative committee at Malacanang. (Photo from PCOO) @Team_Inquirer pic.twitter.com/Y9g2d3uaRw

— Julie M. Aurelio (@JMAurelioINQ) July 9, 2018

In a speech, Puno assured the President that the federal Constitution is a “pro-poor Constitution.”

“For the first time in our history, the socio-economic rights of the poor to adequate food, comprehensive health care, complete education, adequate and decent housing and livelihood and employment opportunities are included in the Bill of Rights as rights demandable against the government,” Puno said.

“The poor are also guaranteed political representation in the legislatures of the Federal Government and Federated Regions,” he added.

The former Chief Justice likewise stressed that the proposed federal Charter would prohibit monopolies and oligopolies “that substantially lessen competition in the market and abuse their dominant positions.”

“For this purpose, the draft Constitution established an independent Competition Commission to stop these monopolies by the moneyed,” Puno said. /ee

READ: Committee approves draft federal charter

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