House minority to submit list of proposed priority measures for ‘common agenda’

MANILA, Philippines — The minority bloc in the House of Representatives will submit its own list of priority measures which may be included in the common agenda of both the House and Senate.

House Minority Leader Joseph Stephen Paduano disclosed this Friday following the meeting of leaders from both the upper and lower chamber on Thursday.

During the meeting, Paduano said that it was agreed that the House and the Senate have a “common agenda” that will streamline the legislative process and ensure speedy and efficient lawmaking.

This common agenda is essentially a consolidated list of the priority legislation identified by both chambers, said Paduano.

Paduano added a part of the agreement was that the minority blocs in both chambers submit their own list of priority legislation which may be included in this common agenda.

“We will cooperate with the House leadership while we continue to perform as fiscalizers of the initiatives of the majority,” Paduano said in a statement.

Nonetheless, Paduano assured that the minority bloc will maintain their critical cooperation with the leadership of House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, especially on the passage of urgent legislative measures related to responding to the coronavirus pandemic.

The “informal caucus” was held at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City and was also attended by Velasco, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, House Majority Leader Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, and Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto.

Also present in the meeting were Senate Finance Committee chair Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, House Committee on Appropriations chair Eric Yap.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and Minority Leader Franklin Drilon also joined the meeting through videoconferencing.

/MUF