Senate to go paperless

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate is going paperless.

Senators agreed to go digital after Sen. Pia Cayetano during yesterday’s session reiterated the need for the Senate to minimize the use of paper to save on resources and protect the environment.

“It is high time that we go as paperless as possible to be environment friendly,” Cayetano said.

She noted that the order of business, Senate journal, bills and resolutions among other documents are being printed everyday for each senator.

She commended the Senate secretariat and the office of the majority leader for using projectors to show the order of business.

Senate President Franklin Drilon directed Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano to send “everything in email so that we can read them from our laptops.”

But the majority leader said he would still ask each senator if they want to get the printed copies or just the soft copy of documents through email.

Sen. Sergio Osmeña III said he is not against going digital but also wanted to get the printed copies, where he writes his notes and gives instruction to his staff.

Cayetano also suggested that senators be served their drinks in paper cups rather than bottles “in the interest of environment.”

She also called the attention of her colleagues over the “recycling” of resolutions of some senators, saying the original authors should be acknowledged.