Senate-less con-ass is like a wedding without a groom - Recto

A Senate-less constituent assembly is like a wedding without a groom, Sen. Ralph Recto said, in scoffing at the threat of congressmen that they would sit as a Charter-change body without their Upper Chamber counterparts.

You cant go on this alone. The bicameral nature of Congress does not get suspended when amendments to the Constitution are being discussed, Recto said

If Senate concurrence is required in a bill changing the name of a street then how much more in changing the constitution ? he added.

I think the right tack for the House is to court more senators than to court another defeat in the Supreme Court by going solo in this constituent assembly thing, Recto said.

And how can congressmen lure senators to do dance the Cha-cha with them ?

By focusing on constitutional economic reforms is Rectos suggestion.

Junk the political agenda, such as changing the form of government . Concentrate on economic provisions that restrict foreign investments , for example. Push for amendments that will benefit the people not just the political class, he said.

This will , perhaps, break the stalemate. Then after economic provisions in the basic law have been amended then there might be enough goodwill generated between the House and the Senate to tackle amendments which are political in nature, Recto said.