House SecGen clarifies: Hybrid sessions authorized by Speaker to take up priority bills
MANILA, Philippines — The hybrid session of the House of Representatives was authorized by Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez so that the legislative chamber can act on priority bills of the administration, Secretary General Reginald Velasco clarified on Tuesday.
In a statement, Velasco downplayed rumors that the session was turned into a hybrid session near midnight to accommodate the passage of key bills on third reading, like House Bill (HB) No. 8969 or the proposed Military and Uniformed Personnel Pension System Act.
READ: House approves MUP pension bill on final reading
According to Velasco, the session has been deemed ‘hybrid’ the moment it started at 9:00 a.m. of Monday.
“It’s not a hybrid midnight session. It’s an authorized hybrid session (allowed under the rules) which started at 9 in the morning Monday and ended after midnight,” he said.
“The Speaker has authorized the conduct of hybrid sessions for September 25 and 26, 2023 sessions to take up urgent priority measures,” he added.
Before the plenary debates on the Department of Health (DOH) proposed 2024 budget late Monday night, the Majority moved to suspend deliberations first to consider HB No. 9284 which seeks to amend and strengthen Republic Act No. 10845 or the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016.
It was approved on second reading via viva voce or voice voting.
READ: House bill to boost agri smuggling law approved on 2nd reading
After the DOH budget deliberations at the plenary, the Majority moved to consider HB No. 8937 which proposes amendments to the tax code, to include a mining fiscal regime. This however was opposed by the minority, with Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel claiming that such important legislation must be tackled when more lawmakers are present, physically.
“Mr. Speaker point of order […] the hybrid session cannot be done right now because under Section 89 of our House Rules, we can only have hybrid sessions or electronic sessions if there are riots, civil disturbances, or extreme events that would warrant us to have hybrid session,” Manuel said.
However, Deputy Majority Floor Leader and Iloilo 3rd District Rep. Lorenz Defensor noted that Speaker Romualdez would like to have the participation of all House members, if possible, as these are important bills.
Manuel disagreed, saying that if these were important measures, lawmakers should be present at the plenary floor.
“In voting on these bills, the Speaker would like to have the participation of as many members as possible, that they be allowed to vote and participate on these bills which were extensively deliberated upon […] Under Section 89, if you look at line number four of page 62, the rules are to be construed liberally to allow participation of our members with the concurrence of no less than the Minority Leader and the Majority Leader,” Defensor said.
“I beg the indulgence of my good friend Raoul Manuel, since the votes have already been cast, so that the votes of the many members who participated in the voting of this well-deliberated bill will proceed,” he added.
“Mr. Speaker, as of now I don’t think we would number to 30 lawmakers on the floor, I would be glad if I’m wrong but it seems like we’re 30 out of 300 plus members here in the Session Hall. That’s why, Mr. Speaker, if indeed this is a priority, then with no personal offense to members of Congress, we should show up,” Manuel claimed.
Eventually, HB No. 8937 was approved on third and final reading, with 272 lawmakers voting in the affirmative, four in the negative, and one abstention.
READ: House passes tax code amendments bill on final reading
Aside from HB No. 8969 and 8937, the House also passed HB No. 9021, or the proposed Refund for Internet and Telecommunications Services Outages and Disruptions Act on the third reading.
Defensor during his manifestation noted that the inclement weather and flooding may be a cause to adopt hybrid hearings. Velasco meanwhile said that the urgent necessity to pass a bill is a reason for the conduct of electronic session.
“The authority of the Speaker is pursuant to Sec 89 Rule XII, Rules of the House, particularly ‘there us urgent necessity to act on any measure, the Speaker, in consultation with the Majority and Minority Leaders, may authorize the conduct of session through electronic platforms’,” Velasco noted.
