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By Maricel V. Cruz Reporter
HOUSE leaders on Thursday backed
Speaker Jose de Venecia’s idea to implement a “name-and-shame”
campaign against congressmen who skip attending plenary sessions and
committee hearings.
Except for Lakas-Christian Muslim
Democrats Rep. Monico Puentevella of Bacolod City, a de Venecia
ally, everybody seemed unenthusiastic about the idea.
Lakas-CMD Rep. Antonio Cuenco of
Cebu, chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, said the
campaign might be painful for the House members, but it is vital for
the institution to become a truly performing House.
“We will certainly support
Speaker Jose de Venecia on this form of reform in the House. It is
sad and unfortunate that things have to come to this point, but we
believe such reforms are necessary, that the House be more decisive
in disciplining its ranks,” Cuenco said.
He said the Fourteenth Congress
should be started on a good note by discouraging absenteeism.
“The sooner we implement the
plan to publicly identify frequent absentees, the better, as it
would demonstrate our serious intent to institute reforms in the
House,” Cuenco said.
Puentevella acknowledged the
necessity for the House to try every means to improve the image of
the House, “but this [name-and-shame campaign] is not the way to
do it. It’s more of quality time and not on quantity of
attendance.”
De Venecia, together with
Majority Leader Arthur Defensor of Iloilo disclosed a plan to
periodically buy one-fourth page advertisements in newspapers where
they would list down the names of frequent absentee lawmakers.
Cuenco said the campaign against
absenteeism should be followed by other reform measures to guarantee
better performance by the House.
“Our campaign for reforms
should not stop in cracking the whip against the absentees. We must
also address concerns against abusive congressmen and avoid giving
them protection. We have to prove that the House of Representatives
is not a repository of bad politics, nor it is a coddler of abusive
politicians.”
Lakas-CMD Rep. Prospero Nograles
of Davao City, House contingent head for the Commission on
Appointments, said de Venecia’s campaign is “a move of the
leadership is a step in the correct direction.”
He said that based on the House
attendance now, it looks like the lower chamber has no problems with
quorum.
Since the opening of the
Fourteenth Congress last July 23, the House has managed to muster
quorum of average of about 200 congressmen out of 240 members.
But the opposition could not
appreciate de Venecia’s efforts in implementing reforms in the
House.
Rep. Joel Villanueva of the
Citizens Battle against Corruption (Cibac) said the
“name-and-shame” campaign is uncalled for.
“Each House member should be
mature and professional enough to be aware and responsible of their
constitutional duties,” Villanueva said. “JdV is supposed to be
the speaker and the father of all House members, and yet he has
shame his [sons and daughters].”
Instead of a “name-and-shame”
drive, Villanueva said the House leadership should instead implement
an incentive to those religiously attending sessions.
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