MANILA -- Only 35 of the 283 members of House of Representatives registered a perfect attendance in 2012 when Congress made history in the approval of several controversial bills, records show.
Of the 35 congressmen, 24 were present in all 61 session days. The other 11 were deemed present for several session days in accordance with House rules.
Section 70 of the rules state that members who may be deemed present are congressmen who are attending committee meetings authorized by the committee on rules, meetings of the Commission on Appointments, meetings of the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal, meetings of bicameral conference committees, and members who are on official mission as approved by the House Speaker.
Those with perfect attendance are House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., Minority Leader Danilo Suarez, and Representatives Emmeline Aglipay (Diwa party-list), Dato Arroyo (Camarines Sur), Leopoldo Bataoil (Pangasinan), Amelita Calimbas-Villarosa (Occidental Mindoro), Emi Calixto-Rubiano (Pasay City), Maximo Dalog (Mountain Province), Rachel Marguerite del Mar (Cebu City), Robert Estrella (Abono party-list), Salvio Fortuno (Camarines Sur), Albert Garcia (Bataan), Roilo Golez (Paranaque), Fernando Gonzalez (Albay), Edcel Lagman (Albay), Isidro Lico (Ating Koop party-list), Reena Obillo (UNA Ang Pamilya party-list), Cresente Paez (COOP NATCCO party-list), Angelo Palmones (Agham party-list), Pedro Pancho (Bulacan), Jesus Paras (Bukidnon), Mariano Piamonte Jr. (A Teacher party-list), Deogracias Ramos Jr. (Sorsogon), and Jose Zubiri III (Bukidnon).
Also included in the list are Representatives Giorgidi Aggabao (Isabela), Bolet Banal (Quezon City), Winston Castelo (Quezon City), Antonio del Rosario (Capiz), Bernadette Herrera-Dy (Bagong Henerasyon), Bem Noel (An Waray party-list), Roberto Puno (Antipolo City), Romero Quimbo (Marikina City), Rene Relampagos (Bohol), Jesus Sacdalan (Sulu), and Sherwin Tugna (Cibac party-list).
In 2012, the House of Representatives approved the bill increasing sin taxes, the kasambahay bill, and the controversial reproductive health bill. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)