What’s so important about quorum in CA when Congress passes bills without quorum?

Senator Miriam-Defensor Santiago has all the right to be emotionally affected when the issue of “quorum” was suddenly raised by Congressman Rodolfo Farinas during the confirmation hearing conducted yesterday by the Commission on Appointments on the appointment of certain officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

That incident makes one wonder why there was a sudden concern by our lawmakers on the importance of a “quorum”? Perhaps this is the appropriate time to remind our legislators that there are hundreds of bills passed by Congress (Senate and the House of Representatives) without the existence of the required number of legislators constituting a quorum. This fact cannot be denied by our lawmakers because, since time immemorial, records of both houses will definitely show that so many bills were passed by Congress without quorum and subsequently signed into law by the President.