(from the US Constitution)
Article V - The Ammendment Process
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several states, or by conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress; provided that no amendment which may be made prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any manner affect the first and fourth clauses in the ninth section of the first article; and that no state, without its consent, shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate.
(from the Philippine Constitution)
Article XVII: Amendments and Revisions
Section 1. Any amendment to, or revision of, this Constitution may be proposed by:
- The Congress, upon a vote of three-fourths of all its Members; or
- A constitutional convention.
Section 2. Amendments to this Constitution may likewise be directly proposed by the people through initiative upon a petition of at least twelve per centum of the total number of registered voters, of which every legislative district must be represented by at least three per centum of the registered votes therein. No amendment under this section shall be authorized within five years following the ratification of this Constitution nor oftener than once every five years thereafter.
The Congress shall provide for the implementation of the exercise of this right.
Section 3. The Congress may, by a vote of two-thirds of all its Members, call a constitutional convention, or by a majority vote of all its Members, submit to the electorate the question of calling such a convention.
Section 4. Any amendment to, or revision of, this Constitution under Section 1 hereof shall be valid when ratified by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite which shall be held not earlier than sixty days nor later than ninety days after the approval of such amendment or revision.
Any amendment under Section 2 hereof shall be valid when ratified by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite which shall be held not earlier than sixty days nor later than ninety days after the certification by the Commission on Elections of the sufficiency of the petition.
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Now, I understand why there is a big debate whether the Philippine Congress composed of the Senate and the House of the Representatives should vote as a whole or separately in proposing a Charter Change.
It should have been clearer if "Both Houses" were used like in the US Constitution instead of "all its Members". A lot of manhours will be consumed on the debates!
But in my opinion, the House of Representatives can never be equal to the Senators, thus they should vote separately like in the impeachment procedure.
The 2007 Philippine Midterm Election must push true so the voice of the people will be heard like what happened in the US.
