Osmeña proposes abolition of House of Representatives

Cebu  City Mayor Tomas Osmeña is proposing abolishing the House of Representatives and adding more Senators, making the legislative body unicameral.

Osmeña said he sees a problem in the manner the members of Congress perform their duties.

“Under the existing circumstances the Congressmen are not elected because of their performance but because of their projects, that’s the reality,” Osmeña said.

Aside from having this problem, Osmeña also cited that most of the Senators are from Luzon, particularly from Manila, which is unfair to other regions.

Osmeña proposed having 24 Senators from Mindanao, 24 from the Visayas, another 24 from Luzon and an additional 12 from Metro Manila. The Senators will be elected at large so that they will not fight over the pork barrel.

The 24 senators in each region can pass bills for exclusive implementation in their respective jurisdictions.  Whenever there is a bill to be applied to the whole country, all 72 senators including the other 12 from Metro Manila should approve it.

Osmeña believes that if this will happen, only the most deserving will be elected in their respective regions.    — Junel Joe Gato and Jo-ana Marie Desuyo, CNU interns/BRP