DEPUTY Speaker and Quezon 2nd District Rep. David "Jayjay" Suarez expected "heated deliberations" in the House of Representatives plenary on Resolution of Both Houses 7 (RBH 7).

On Monday afternoon, the House opened the period of sponsorship and debate for RBH 7.

The House of Representatives under the leadership of Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez today began the period of sponsorship and debate on Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 7 which seeks to amend certain economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution, particularly on the grant of legislative franchises to public utilities (Article XII), basic education (Article XIV), and advertising (Article XVI). Photo from House of Representatives of the Philippines FB page

"We can look forward to heated deliberations on this matter as it hits the plenary," Suarez said, adding that sponsors of the resolution are ready to fight the opposition.

RBH 7 was filed last February 19 by Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales Jr., Suarez and House Majority Leader Manuel Jose "Mannix" Dalipe.

The House Committee of the Whole approved RBH 7 on March 6.

Dalipe said the chamber will allot three days for plenary debates.

He said, "Hopefully, by Wednesday, we can vote on the matter on second reading."

1-Rider Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez, a member of the minority bloc, said that the deliberations of the House Committee of the Whole were exhaustive.

"We are anticipating that the same exhaustive deliberations would be afforded" to the members of the House minority.

RBH 7, like the RBH 6 filed at the Senate, seeks to amend certain economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution.

In his sponsorship speech on Monday, Gonzales Jr. appealed to the Senate not to block efforts to amend the Constitution.

"There will never be a better time than now to amend the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution," Gonzales said.