House newbies start crash course on lawmaking
Incoming Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo: It’s important to hear things straight from the horse’s mouth. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—First-time lawmakers in the 16th Congress began on Monday a four-day executive course on legislation to learn the written and unwritten lessons of being a member of the House of Representatives.
The course includes lectures on various topics, such as the Priority Development Assistance Fund or “pork barrel” and the national legislative and national budget processes, as well as practical subjects such as the dynamics between the House majority and minority blocs, and working with peers in the House and with executive agencies.
Tailor-made
The tailor-made course is a collaboration of the House of Representatives and the University of the Philippines-National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP-NCPAG). This was the first time the House offered the course to its members.
Course speakers include UP-NCPAG Dean Edna Co, UP vice president for public affairs Prospero de Vera III, former UP law dean and Inquirer publisher Raul Pangalangan, and House Secretary General Marilyn Barua-Yap.
Incumbent lawmakers were also tapped to speak on various topics, including their personal experiences in the legislature.
Intimate understanding
The course would not just focus on theories but would also deal with practical matters, according to Co.
Incoming Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo said she expected to gain a more intimate understanding of how the House actually works from the seminar.
“My expectation after this course is that we will be able to understand many things that are not written down. There are many things that we can study, but I think it’s important to hear things straight from the horse’s mouth,” Robredo told reporters.
Actor and incoming Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas noted that his position as councilor of the city had afforded him a chance to legislate on a smaller scale.
Vargas said he wanted to learn about legislation on a national scale.
Co told the incoming representatives that legislators were expected to keenly study issues and policies before filing bills.
A total of 32 lawmakers—comprising the first batch of first-time representatives—attended the first day of the legislation course.
The second batch of lawmakers will take the course later.
