Thursday, July 19, 2007 New legislators urged to expand horizons
GO OUT and see the world.
This in essence was the advice given by Pangasinan Representative Jose de Venecia Jr. on Wednesday to the 80 neophyte congressmen of the 14th Congress, who attended an orientation-seminar on the workings of the House of the Representatives.
But de Venecia, who was the main speaker in the affair, clarified that the lawmakers should not take undue advantage of the privilege to travel by just sight-seeing but to learn more about the other countries they intend to visit.
His advice was clearly to dispel the misconception by some lawmakers that foreign travel - official or otherwise - is a congressional right that allows them to indulge in extra-curricular activities.
Some congressmen are known to make frequent overseas travel, sometimes in the company of immediate members of their families, as part of their legislative duties.
While some lawmakers say they spend their own resources in such trips, the others make their travel official using government money through the offices of the House Inter-Parliamentary Relations Service (IPRS).
We made an important decision in this House (last year) that all congressmen and all congresswomen, irrespective of their political party, majority or minority will get an entitlement of one million pesos whether you choose to travel or not, you will get one million pesos to force you to travel, to entice you to travel, said de Venecia without explaining whether the amount will be given on a yearly basis.
Its important to see what Malaysia has done, see what China has done, Korea and all nations. Not just go there for one day or two days but one week or ten days and to really learn their system, cultures and work ethic and how they build a modernized and developed infrastructure, he added.
Apart from their monthly salaries, House members also receive other allocations, including P20,000 monthly for their domestic travel that includes visits to their respective districts.
I want them to move out and look for projects for their districts. They should not always rely on their pork barrel (for their projects), he said, referring to the Priority Development Assistant Fund (Pdaf) which amounts to several millions of pesos.
Go out, study their governments, their culture. You can stay there for even 10 days, he told the new lawmakers.
While the idea was acceptable, Representative Dan Fernandez of Laguna said a 10-day trip is too long and would consume much of the legislative time of the congressmen. It should also be done during recess, Fernandez told reporters.
Earlier, Representative Neptali Gonzales II of Mandaluyong City warned the neophytes against grandstanding, which some lawmakers take as an opportunity to land in the television news and the pages of the newspapers.
Gonzales, a former House majority leader, explained that there are House rules which congressmen should follow.
Otherwise, you will be in the tonights TV news or tomorrows newspapers, he added.
Cavite Representative Crispin Remulla, a former House assistant majority leader, admitted that some of the newcomers could be bright and smart, a reason that they could grandstand. If you think that are the brightest and the smartest, forget it. We are a collegial body. We act as one, Remulla said.
Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr., a former congressman from Camarines Sur, explained the budget process, including how the lawmakers could make use of their congressional funds for projects in their legislative districts.
Andaya also took time out to tell the neophytes that being a congressman has certain perks not enjoyed by other civil servants.
Surprisingly, many of the neophytes who at latest count total 106, did not attend the seminar, including the returning veterans of the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th Congresses. (Sunnex)
