Manila Bulletin
Philippines
Congress mulls one-week extension of sessions as COVID bills pile up in plenary
Philippines
Congress mulls one-week extension of sessions as COVID bills pile up in plenary
Congress mulls one-week extension of sessions as COVID bills pile up in plenary
Published Jun 2, 2020 12:00 am
By Ellson Quismorio
Why not extend the first regular session of the 18th Congress up to next week?
Cagayan de Oro City Rufus Rodriguez made this suggestion, which was embodied in House Concurrent Resolution No. 8, filed on Monday.
Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Representative Rufus Rodriguez (Rufus Rodriguez official Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)
Rodriguez said that extending sessions for another week will allow House members to pass several COVID-19 response bills that are pending in plenary. Under the current legislative calendar, both chambers of Congress (House of Representatives and Senate) will adjourn sine die not later than Friday, June 5.
The lawmakers won't convene again until late July, or when President Duterte delivers his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) in a joint session.
In his resolution, Rodriguez said there are “important measures the country needs during and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic that have to be passed by Congress.”
He said among these are the ARISE (Accelerated Recovery and Intervention Stimulus for the Economy) Act, which seeks P568 billion for this year and P650 billion for 2021; COVID-19-Related Anti-Discrimination Act; the Financial Institutions Strategic Transfer (FIST) Act; the CURES (COVID-19 Unemployment Reduction Economic Stimulus) Act, and Better Normal for the Workplace, Communities and Public Spaces Act.
“There are other measures still pending, including various bills mandating the establishment of pop-up bicycle lanes for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Crushing COVID-19 Act, and my proposal to extend the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act by three months,” he said.
Rodriguez pointed out that under Section 15 of Article VI of the Constitution, Congress “shall convene once every year on the fourth Monday of July for its regular session…and shall continue to be in session for such number of days as it may determine until 30 days before the opening of the next regular session, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays.”
He said his suggestion for the extension of the first regular session by five days is within the purview of such constitutional provision.
It should be noted that the House usually holds sessions only from Monday through Wednesday. It held a special session Thursday last week, and will do so again this week.
Other lawmakers have also called for prolonging the current session to give them more time to pass important bills.
They appealed to President Duterte to call Congress to a special session during the mandatory recess, or the lengthy stretch from June 5 to SONA day. The day of the SONA will mark the start of the second regular session of the 18th Congress.
Rodriguez, who chairs the Committee on Constitutional Amendments, noted that under the same Section 15 of Article VI of the Charter, the President is authorized to ask lawmakers to convene in a special session any time during their break.
Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Representative Rufus Rodriguez (Rufus Rodriguez official Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)
Rodriguez said that extending sessions for another week will allow House members to pass several COVID-19 response bills that are pending in plenary. Under the current legislative calendar, both chambers of Congress (House of Representatives and Senate) will adjourn sine die not later than Friday, June 5.
The lawmakers won't convene again until late July, or when President Duterte delivers his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) in a joint session.
In his resolution, Rodriguez said there are “important measures the country needs during and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic that have to be passed by Congress.”
He said among these are the ARISE (Accelerated Recovery and Intervention Stimulus for the Economy) Act, which seeks P568 billion for this year and P650 billion for 2021; COVID-19-Related Anti-Discrimination Act; the Financial Institutions Strategic Transfer (FIST) Act; the CURES (COVID-19 Unemployment Reduction Economic Stimulus) Act, and Better Normal for the Workplace, Communities and Public Spaces Act.
“There are other measures still pending, including various bills mandating the establishment of pop-up bicycle lanes for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Crushing COVID-19 Act, and my proposal to extend the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act by three months,” he said.
Rodriguez pointed out that under Section 15 of Article VI of the Constitution, Congress “shall convene once every year on the fourth Monday of July for its regular session…and shall continue to be in session for such number of days as it may determine until 30 days before the opening of the next regular session, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays.”
He said his suggestion for the extension of the first regular session by five days is within the purview of such constitutional provision.
It should be noted that the House usually holds sessions only from Monday through Wednesday. It held a special session Thursday last week, and will do so again this week.
Other lawmakers have also called for prolonging the current session to give them more time to pass important bills.
They appealed to President Duterte to call Congress to a special session during the mandatory recess, or the lengthy stretch from June 5 to SONA day. The day of the SONA will mark the start of the second regular session of the 18th Congress.
Rodriguez, who chairs the Committee on Constitutional Amendments, noted that under the same Section 15 of Article VI of the Charter, the President is authorized to ask lawmakers to convene in a special session any time during their break.