Neophyte lawmakers told to attend plenary sessions

MANILA, Philippines - Veteran lawmakers advised yesterday their neophyte colleagues in the House of Representatives to religiously attend plenary sessions and show initiative to give back to their constituents who elected them into office.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Marikina City Rep. Romero Quimbo gave the advice in separate talks before new congressmen, who wrapped up yesterday their crash course on legislative work jointly sponsored by the House and the National College of Public Administration and Governance of the University of the Philippines.

House records showed that only 21 lawmakers out of 287 congressmen posted perfect attendance in the three years of the 15th Congress that began in 2010 and ends today.  Belmonte and Quimbo were among those who attended all 168 session days.

Among the top absentee House members were world boxing champion and Saranggani Rep. Manny Pacquiao and Negros Occidental Rep. Julio Ledesma IV.

Belmonte urged the new House members to give their best in legislating and “let the 16th Congress be even better than its predecessor.”

“Your personal responsibility to the nation is to share new ideas and initiatives for the service to the people – what the people expect from each of us,” the Speaker said.

Quimbo said it is embarrassing that most lawmakers don’t have perfect attendance, considering that their constituents had expected much from them.

“It’s alright if you are not so good in debates, but I wish our colleagues show up in plenary sessions, which is just three times a week. Some work Mondays to Saturdays, more so for public officials,” he said. He said House members usually use “constituency work” as an excuse in explaining absences.