The Senate will prioritize the measure on the rightsizing of the national government to ensure its passage before the 19th Congress adjourns its session in June.
Escudero, author and sponsor of Senate Bill No. 890 or the proposed Rightsizing National Government Act, made the promise on Wednesday, January 8, a day after holding a five-hour consultative meeting with stakeholders in government.
The meeting was meant to speed up the process and to harmonize the different inputs and versions being taken up by the Upper Chamber.
A priority measure of the administration, the rightsizing bill aims to minimize redundancies, eliminate functions in government offices that are teeming with duplications, as well as simplify rules, regulations and processes.
“We wanted to address most, if not all, of the possible concerns that could be raised on the rightsizing bill during the period of interpellations,” the Senate chief said.
“Once we get all the submissions from the relevant agencies, we will incorporate these in the substitute bill and use these as the bases of our forthcoming debates next week,” he said.
Escudero said one particular concern being raised on the rightsizing bill is the possible downsizing of the bureaucracy, which he said is a mere misconception.
“Rightsizing is about streamlining the bureaucracy. It also means the possible creation of new positions, new offices, upgrading and upscaling personnel to help them fill up much needed positions and put them on the path toward career advancement,” the Senate leader said.
“The objective of rightsizing for me is not about saving money. It’s being able to deliver services to the people more efficiently,” he explained.
A substitute bill will be submitted to include all the changes and issues that need to be addressed next Monday. Congress will resume sessions on January 13.
“We have more or less three weeks left before we go on break for the elections, so we need to work fast if we want to have this measure approved this 19th Congress,” Escudero said.
He noted that Congress will go on break from February 8 to June 1 for the campaign period of the May 2025 midterm elections.
Sessions resume on June 2 and will go on until June 13 when the 19th Congress adjourns sine die.
Under the bill, exempted from the rightsizing program are the legislature, judiciary, constitutional commissions, the Office of the Ombudsman, local government units (LGUs) and military and uniformed personnel, as well as teaching-related positions of the education sector.
“While they are not covered by the rightsizing program, they are enjoined to rightsize their respective offices in order to improve the overall efficiency in their operations,” Escudero said.
Escudero said the Senate and House of Representatives may immediately convene the bicameral conference committee right after the Senate is able to pass the measure since the House has already approved its own version of the bill in March 2023.