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Speaker Prospero Nograles is speeding up reforms in the House of
Representatives, announcing over the weekend the creation of an ad
hoc transition committee that will review and implement proposals
pertaining to reforms in the chamber.
Nograles said there have been lots of written
proposals on reforms, and part of it would be on how to “rebuild
and improve” the image of the House.
“There are written proposals, and so we will
form an ad hoc special committee that will look on these at the
soonest possible time to be able to effect the changes we would
make,” Nograles said.
Nograles has yet to name members of the Ad Hoc
Special Committee because this has to be done in consultation with
the House members.
Nograles was quick to point out that the
important thing is every congressman will be working towards one
objective and concern: Improve the image of the House.
“The reforms and changes in details that they
will propose will be toward that objective, as to how to improve the
image of the House,” he said.
Nograles, meanwhile, declared there will be no
shuffles yet on the committee chairmanships in the House.
But he said “may be later” a shuffle in
the committee chairmanships will be done.
The Speaker had earlier said the first order of
business under his leadership is to heal the wounds from the tussle
for the speakership, which saw Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr.
toppled from the chamber’s top post.
Palawan Rep. Abraham Khalil Mitra of the
National People’s Coalition appealed to his colleagues “to take
one step at a time” and make way for House reforms first before
even considering a revamp on committee chairmanships.
Mitra warned any revamp will only highlight
speculations that de Venecia Jr. is not about reforms but a mere
tussle for positions in the House leadership.
-- Maricel V. Cruz
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