Perfect House attendance for 65; Pacman, Jules worst absentees

MANILA, Philippines - Sixty-five lawmakers, including Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., chalked up perfect attendance in the 70 sessions of the House of Representatives from Jan. 20 to Dec. 17 last year, records showed.

On the other hand, Saranggani Rep. Manny Pacquiao and Negros Occidental Rep. Julio Ledesma IV registered the lowest attendance, being present in only seven session days.

Former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo posted no attendance at all as she has been detained without bail at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center since November 2012.

Out of the 70 plenary sessions – held from Mondays to Thursdays starting at 4 p.m. – the roll call was made in only 34 session days, the Office of the Secretary General of the House said in its website.

“There were 36 session days when roll call was dispensed with and the members were recorded as in attendance,” the House website said.

Like Arroyo, Lanao del Norte Rep. Abdullah Dimaporo also registered zero attendance as he has been under hospital arrest since 2013.

Abang Lingkod partylist Rep. Joseph Paduano, meanwhile, was able to attend only 15 session days as he took oath only in May 2014.

The House has 290 members.