House Speaker Martin Romualdez (center), in black poses with his fellow congressmen during the BPSF-Eastern Visayas (Speaker’s office)

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte--House of Representatives members could have held a well-attended session here Friday, Aug. 2 had they wanted to. 

House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Deputy Majority Leader for Communications ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo both made this observation during the conduct of the "mega" Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) for Eastern Visayas. 

Including Romualdez and Tulfo, a total of 241 House members attended the launch of the two-day, all-encompassing service caravan. 

“Pwede nang magsession sa dami ng kongresistang sumama (We can hold a session with the sheer number attending congressmen)," Romualdez, Leyte's 1st district representative said in his speech. 

Tulfo, in a separate speech, said the solon-attendees constitute a quorum. A quorum is attained when 50 percent plus one of the sitting House members attend session. There are currently 306 congressmen. 

"Kung gugustuhin natin, pwede na mag-session dito (If we want to, we can hold a session here)," said the broadcast journalist-turned-solon. 

Only during a quorum can the House hold session and go about their official business for the day. It doesn't necessarily have to talk place at Batasang Pambansa Complex. 

“Tayo po ay sobrang natutuwa at napakaraming mambabatas ang dumalo sa ating mega serbisyo fair sa Eastern Visayas. Mayorya o minorya, hindi inalintana ang pagkakaiba para masaksihan kung paano ginagamit ng pamahalaan ang pondong ating inilaan para sa mamamayan,” Romualdez said. 

(We are very delighted that a lot of solons graced our mega serbisyo fair in Eastern Visayas. Whether from the majority or minority, they paid no mind to their differences in order to witness how the government uses its funds for the benefit of the people.) 

Romualdez, leader of the House of Representatives thanked all those who attended the mega BPSF, which had its main service caravan in Tacloban City in Leyte, while "mini BPSFs" were held in Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Southern Leyte, and Biliran. 

Aside from the 241 lawmakers, several other government officials also attended the BPSF here, including Senator Bong Revilla, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, 12 governors, three vice governors, nine mayors, and 16 officials from the executive department.