Alvarez backs Con-com’s bid to require college degree for Congress members

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. Photo by Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez backed on Tuesday the Consultative Committee’s (Con-com) move to include a provision requiring members of Congress to be college degree holders under their draft Constitution.

“Alam mo sang-ayon ako diyan, kasi dito sa legislative branch ng gobyerno, siguro kinakailangan din naman talaga na mayroon tayong educational requirement para maging legislator ka and ang proposal ko nga diyan ay kung nire-require natin ng civil service eligibility yung mga staff namin, para maging kawani ng gobyerno, bakit naman kami, bilang legislators ay hindi i-require ng civil service eligibility?” Alvarez said in a media briefing.

(You know, I agree with that, because in the government’s legislative branch, we also need educational requirements to become a legislator and my proposal here is if we require civil service eligibility for our staff to become employees of the government, why aren’t we, as legislators, not required to have civil service eligibility?)

“Iba ito sa executive branch, gusto ko lang linawin, kasi ang executive branch of government, ito ay more on management at alam naman natin lahat na kahit wala kang natapos,” he added.

(It’s different with the executive branch, I just want to clarify, because the executive branch of government is more on management and we all know that even if we didn’t finish school.)

Pressed on the disadvantages of lawmakers without bachelor degrees, Alvarez cited Davao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr.

“Ano… kagaya halimbawa ni Congressman Floirendo, walang eligibility so hindi nagpaparticipate dito sa mga committee hearings, hindi nagpaparticipate doon sa mga debate sa plenary, ganoon lang ‘yung concrete example ko diyan,” he said.

(Like with Congressman Floirendo, there’s no eligibility so he doesn’t participate with committee hearings, debates in plenary – those are my concrete examples.)

INQUIRER.net has tried to get Floirendo’s side but he has yet to respond as of posting time.

The House leader said it is important that lawmakers understand the legislative process and how to efficiently defend legislations before the plenary.

A subcommittee of the Con-com tasked by President Rodrigo Duterte to review the 1987 Constitution earlier approved provisions requiring members of Congress to be college degree holders, or its equivalent, in a bid to “improve the quality of laws” in the country.

“There were lots of discussions on the issue of imposing this educational qualification. On one hand, there is school of thought that somehow that this is anti-democratic somehow on the ground that you’re limiting the right of some Filipinos those without college degree to run for office,” Con-com chair retired Chief Justice Reynato Puno said in a press briefing.

“On the other hand there is that school of thought that you need this qualification in order to improve the quality of laws that will come from Congress. And ultimately, the second school of thought worked,” he added.

READ: Con-com panel wants to require college degree for Senate, House elective posts

The recommendatory body’s en banc is set to vote on the measure once it commences after the Lenten break.

The panel is expected to present after six months its proposals to Duterte, who will then submit it to Congress.

Congress may either affirm or dismiss the recommendations. /je