Militant solons from the Makabayan bloc want full face-to-face plenary sessions to come back in the House of Representatives.

For this purpose, the Makabayan led by House Deputy Minority leader and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro filed House Resolution (HR) No. 859.

"It is unfortunate and ironic that while the country has mandated all schoolage children from the youngest Kindergarten pupil to the oldest college student and all  workers and employees in public and private offices and workplaces to return to prepandemic face-to face reporting, this is not so with the members of the House of Representatives," Castro said in a  statement Tuesday, March 14.

She noted that the House is still implementing Rule XII titled “Conduct of Plenary Sessions through Electronic Platforms".

The electronic or virtual participation of House members became necessary--and subsequently normal--after the emergence of the deadly Covid-19 in the Philippines. But it has been three years since that happened.

"Di ba medyo nakakahiya na ang mga batang paslit ay naka-face-to-face na mula pa nung isang taon habang ang mga kinatawan naman ay naka-Zoom pa din?! (Isn't it embarrassing that small children have been having face-to-face classes since last year, while the House members are still on Zoom?!)" exclaimed the teacher solon.

Castro said the call for the return of full face-to-face plenary sessions was made "in light of the right of the people to information on matters of public concern, as well as the constitutional principles of transparency of all acts of public officials and proceedings of government agencies and accountability to the people of the House and all Members thereof".

"Mas mahusay sanang marerepresenta ng mga kinatawan ang  mga naghalal sa kanila kung sila mismo ay nasa plenaryo at kasama sa mga debate at diskusyon sa mga panukalang batas at mga isyu na kinakaharap ng bayan (The House members could have done a better job in representing their constituents had they been in plenary themselves amid the discussions and debates on proposed measures and issues facing the nation)," she explained.

The top three measures that the House has either tackled or passed under the current regime of physical and virtual attendance in the 19th Congress are arguably the P5.268-trillion national budget for 2023; the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF); and Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No.6, which calls for the creation of a constitutional convention (con-con) for the purpose of Charter change (Cha-cha).

Antigen tests for Covid-19 are still being carried out by the House on members, employees, and visitors.