House mulls holding Thursday sessions

MANILA, Philippines -  The leadership of the House of Representatives is studying the possibility of holding sessions on Thursdays to fast-track the passage of pending bills.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said the chamber has 15 session days to go before Congress adjourns its first regular session. Currently, both the Senate and the House hold sessions in the afternoon from Monday to Wednesday, though both chambers often hold public hearings throughout the week.

“Once again, I ask everyone’s cooperation that this chamber may fulfill its vital tasks,” Belmonte told the lawmakers at the resumption of session on Monday.

“Let us continue to uphold our new tradition of complete attendance, of active and principled participation in committee and plenary debates and deliberations, and of prompt action.”

”Let us hold sessions on Thursdays if our schedule would require that. We have accomplished much since July last year,” he said.

Belmonte said the House intends to “accomplish more” before the first regular session ends, including hosting the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly late next month.

“I have no doubt that together, and with the same zeal and dedication we have shown thus far, we can faithfully discharge the functions of this chamber, and fulfill our people’s highest expectations,” Belmonte said.

Belmonte said he was gratified by the cooperation shown by lawmakers who have manifested their attendance at the opening of session last Monday.

A total of 194 congressmen showed up at the resumption of session.

Belmonte also cited the congressmen who were supposed to be acting as prosecutors in the aborted trial of former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez in the Senate had she not resigned during the break.

He noted the congressmen-prosecutors had sacrificed their summer break to prepare for the impeachment trial.

Before going on a recess last March, the House was able to pass nearly 800 bills and other measures in the last 66 session days.

Of this number, 30 local bills and 39 national bills were already passed on final reading.

These include the Data Privacy Act, the Act Prescribing a Fixed Term for the Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff, the Act Integrating Kindergarten Education into the Basic Education System, and the proposed law postponing the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.