House of Representatives. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Neophyte solons tried holding a session in the House of Representatives plenary hall on Thursday, concluding their executive course on legislation in preparation for their duties in the upcoming 17th Congress.
Around 40 new district and party-list representatives were among the first batch of lawmakers who participated in an executive course on legislation since Monday and ending today with a mock session on the floor.
House employees pretended to be deputy speakers and floor leaders in the mock session to show the neophyte solons the goings-on in a regular session in Congress.
One of the neophyte solons was actor Yul Servo, a councilor in Manila who won as a district representative in the recent elections.
In an interview, Servo said he learned a lot in the crash course that served as a guide for him to fulfill his legislative duties once the 17th Congress holds its first session on July 25 during the President-elect’s first address.
“Malaking bagay yung ginawang apat na araw (na training) para sa aming mga bago para sa pagtatrabaho dito sa session,” Servo said.
(Having the four days of training is a huge help for us who are new to working in the session.)
He said he planned to file bills similar to pieces of legislation he fought for when he was Manila councilor.
“Since bago muna, medyo nood nood muna ako; gamayan ko muna ang trabaho ko bilang representative sa aming distrito,” Servo said.
(Since I’m new, I’ll be observing at first; I’ll familiarize myself first with my job as a representative of our district.)
Outgoing Ilocos Sur Vice Governor Deogracias Savellano, a newly elected congressman, said the training was helpful for him to learn the “powers of the purse” of Congress in scrutinizing and passing the country’s budget.
Savellano, the husband of actress Dina Bonnevie, said he would pursue his advocacies such as building economic zones in the province and promoting Ilocos products.
For her part, Bonnevie said she was proud her husband was studying how to become a lawmaker.
She said she would also help in her husband’s advocacy of promoting Ilocos products and providing entrepreneurial projects.
“I’m excited for him. I know he has a lot of ideas. My husband is a man of very few words but he’s a visionary. He has a lot of ideas; maybe this time, he will express his thoughts more,” Bonnevie, the former wife of actor Vic Sotto, added.
Newly elected Bulacan representative Jonathan Sy-Alvarado, son of Bulacan governor Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado, said the training was important because besides learning about the crafting of laws, he also learned about the need for camaraderie among his colleagues.
“Isa sa mga natutuhan namin dito na pinakamahalaga ay yung camaraderie at puso para mas lalong mapabilis ang proyekto, ang house bills, at batas sa aming mga distrito,” Sy-Alvarado said.
(One of the important things we learned is camaraderie and heart so that the projects, house bills, and laws in our districts can be advanced.)
Wearing a neck-brace, the young lawmaker said he was involved in a car accident in February this year when his vehicle crashed into another in Malolos, Bulacan.
He said the investigation was ongoing to weed out the possibility that there was a threat to his life.
Sy-Alvarado said he would push for a bill implementing a Magna Carta for the poor. JE/rga
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