A day after leaving Malacañang, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo swiftly got back to work on Day One in her new job as Pampanga congresswoman.

As her first official act as member of the House of Representatives, Arroyo filed House Resolution No. 08 proposing to convene a constitutional convention for the purpose of amending the 1987 Constitution.

Arroyo was among the first batch of lawmakers who were able to file bills and resolutions on the first day of their term as newly elected legislators.

Arroyo, who has yet to occupy the spacious office left vacant by “graduating” Rep. Jose de Venecia, was also set to file eight more bills before the bills and index division (BID) of the Lower House on Thursday.

Under the rules imposed by the BID, congressmen filing legislative measures during the first several days of the opening of Congress are limited to present a maximum five measures per day.

Arroyo was joined by her son, Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado “Dato” Arroyo” as co-author of HR 08, which appeared to be similar to measures filed during the 14th Congress.

In her proposal, the former chief executive made clear that convening a constitutional convention will have to be voted upon by two-thirds of all members of Congress.

However, the question on the mode of voting was left unanswered in HR 08.

Past proposals to amend the 1987 Charter were unsuccessful due to the heretofore unresolved controversy on whether the two Houses of Congress will vote separately or as one body.

Arroyo had backed various attempts to amend the 1987 Constitution that her administration blamed for the economic woes faced by the country.

In seeking adoption of the resolution, the lady lawmaker and her son stressed the urgency of amending the Constitution to make it “responsive to the needs of people.”

The two Arroyos stated that the 22-year-old Charter contains provisions that have “outlived their purpose and need to be revisited to institute much-needed socio-economic and political reforms.”