|
Friday, November 18, 2005
House row over top post makes solons attend sessions
IF THERE is any consolation the attempts to snatch the House speakership from Jose de Venecia could give, this has just made de Venecia and other leaders of the House finally address the perennial problem: the habitual absences of congressmen, that is.
House Majority Leader Prospero Nograles believed that one way or another, the attempt of Surigao del Sur Representative Prospero Pichay to oust de Venecia from the speakership has brought one good thing to the entire House, as members started to cooperate with the leadership in securing quorum at all times.
The consultations initiated by de Venecia among members of different political parties in the so-called "Sunshine Coalition" has already bore fruit because all concerns they having been raising, including the problem on quorum, is being addressed now.
Deliberations of the controversial Committee Report 1065 which concerns amending the 1987 Constitution has finally began after months of delay, and one of the factors that led to this was that the administration was able to secure the quorum.
But Nograles maintained that they would try to keep the quorum always when they finally institute reforms in the Lower House.
"One of the reforms we are going to institute sooner than later is the absences," Nograles added.
He said it is possible that they might apply the same sanctions imposed to congressmen during the 12th Congress who incurred "three unexplained absences", who were automatically dropped from committee membership.
Nograles said quorum has always been a problem of the Lower Chamber. "I'm held hostage by the minority every time they don't want what we are talking about because they will always question the quorum."
"The others don't even have the 'staying power.' Nobody stays after the roll call," he pointed out.
He also supported the suggestion of Palawan Representative Abraham Mitra to do away with House members who accept several committee memberships, even beyond their capacities.
"If one is a member of 10 committees, then it is impossible for him to attend the hearings. It's physically impossible for you to hop from one room to another, even if you are a butterfly," Nograles said.
Pichay, on the other hand, said he acknowledged how de Venecia is addressing the issues he raised against him, including the problem on quorum. He said though he wanted de Venecia to be more transparent in the disbursement of House funds and the complaints of lawmakers to return their P70 million pork barrel solved.
"The Speaker is now attending sessions everyday. After a long time, he is now presiding the sessions. At hindi na rin umaalis ng bansa (And he doesn't leave the country). I hope this will continue. There should be leadership by example. It's a good example of reform," Pichay said.
Although Pichay is seeing developments, he warned that de Venecia and other leaders of the House should not be too confident, adding that once complaints of congressmen are not heard and addressed the soonest possible time, then he will question again his leadership.
"I'm not yet running for Speaker but I will only if he will not heed the reforms we are advocating," he added.
Pichay also gave de Venecia an unsolicited advice not to travel abroad too often, "otherwise he will be a very good secretary general to the UN." "There should be change in the style of leadership."
As he discusses problems with fellow congressmen in the chamber, the administration stalwart noted that "grumbling" have not been as worse in previous Congresses. "The question of timing is insignificant. It's better late than never," he said. (DBP/Sunnex)
(November 18, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
