CEBU CITY – Independent business organizations voiced their strong objection to the passage of House Resolution 1109 last week that seeks to convene the House of Representatives into a Constituent Assembly.

During yesterday’s 1st National Business Conference of Independent Business Clubs at the Marco Polo Plaza Cebu that gathered 14 organizations nationwide, including the Makati Business Club (MBC) and the Cebu Business Club (CBC), the businessmen joined other "Anti-Con Ass" movers in protesting the Resolution.

"There are numerous challenges facing our deteriorating economy and our troubled political landscape. The pursuit of constitutional amendment at this inopportune time, by the methodology that is arguably flawed, is not a priority in the face of these urgent concerns," CBC President Dondi Joseph said.

Joseph, who read CBC’s official statement on the issue, said Con-Ass has already begun to polarize the country.

"We believe that our legislators should do their utmost to avoid the perception that self-interest, and not the interests of the Filipino people, are their primary agenda," the statement said.

Joseph stressed that any Con-Ass move at this time should be "repealed or aborted" in the interest of the economic, social, and political stability of the country.

"We encourage our legislators to pursue harmony and not discord, and to build constructive consensus, instead of conflict," he told 200 businessmen during the conference.

During the same gathering, MBC Chairman Ramon del Rosario Jr. appealed for the rejection of HB 1109 that calls for the Lower House to convene itself into a constituent assembly and make changes to the Constitution without the Senate’s participation.

"The resolution blatantly disregards the sentiment of the majority of Filipinos who oppose Charter Change, especially before the 2010 elections. It is nothing but a thinly disguised attempt to manipulate our political processes and institutions to extend a discredited leader’s hold on power.

"This latest threat to our democracy perpetrated by our own officials must be vigorously fought," Del Rosario declared.