House of Representatives updates

The House of Representatives approves on third and final reading the bill that automatically declares national elections day as non-working holiday.  

“With this proposed legislation, we hope to get the maximum participation of our voters in the national elections which is one of the most important activities that they should do as Filipinos," House Speaker Martin Romualdez was quoted by PTV. 

The House of Representatives releases a memo dated July 27 announcing that all members must go back to a full face-to-face work setup by August 1.

All House members are also required to attend in-person hearings following the lifting of the state of public emergency due to the pandemic.

LOOK: The House of Representatives will go back to a full face-to-face work setup by Aug. 1 according to a July 27 memo. All House members are also required to attend in-person hearings following the lifting of the state of public emergency due to the pandemic. @PhilstarNews pic.twitter.com/onpnWDeUeV

— Cristina Chi ???? (@chicristina_) July 28, 2023

A lawmaker on Wednesday urges the government to prepare for El Niño.

Wilbert Lee renewed his call for the creation of a Department of Water Resources, citing that the country needs a sustainable water resources management program to address the impact of El Niño.

“This is not the first or the last time we will deal with this critical problem, which is why we need a Department of Water Resources," he says.

Lee first filed House Bill No. 2880, which seeks to create the said agency in August last year. 

A lawmaker considers the new Agrarian Emancipation Act set to be signed on Friday by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr as a "win" for farmers.

In a release, Rep. Wilber Lee (AGRI Party-list), principal author of the House version of the New Agrarian Emancipation Act, says that the new law would allow farmers to further increase their productivity by providing them additional financial resources through the condonation of their annual amortization and interests, including penalties or surcharges. 

"Finally, they will be unburdened of their loans, interests, and penalties that contribute to their inability to overcome poverty, and are also major factors that have kept them from becoming fully productive," the solon says. 

On Eid'l Adha, Rep. Wilbert Lee (AGRI Party-list) calls for speedy passage of House Bill No. 1299, or the Right to Adequate Food Act, as he called for the strict implementation of the food and security roadmap for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

“As we celebrate Eid’l Adha, the feast of Sacrifice, I call on the government for the swift passage of measures that will guarantee help in ensuring food security for our Muslim brothers and sisters,” Lee says.

“Malaking bagay po na bumaba ang poverty incidence sa rehiyon, ayon na rin sa huling tala ng Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), pero kailangan pa rin tandaan na 37.4 percent ng populasyon ng BARMM, o katumbas na 1.71 milyon na pamilya, ay naghihirap,” he adds.

Rep. Rufus Rodriquez (Cagayan de Oro) files a resolution seeking the suspension of the franchise granted to Cebu Pacific.

House Resolution No. 1101, seeks to suspend the franchise granted to Cebu Air, Inc under Republic Act no. 7151 to establish, operate and maintain transport services for the carriage of passenger, mail goods and property by air.

The solon cites that the budget carrier "has a history of unsatisfactory service to the public."

Makabayan bloc lawmakers Rep. Arlene Brosas (Gabriela Women's Party), France Castro (ACT Teachers Partylist) and Raoul Manuel (Kabataan Partylist) on Wednesday file a resolution before the House of Representatives to probe the complaints against budget airline Cebu Pacific.

House Resolution No. 1093 urges the Committee on Transportation to conduct an investigation, in aid of legislation, into the complaints against the budget carrier, particularly the overbooking, offloading and booking glitches.

This comes as the Senate tourism and public services committees also conducted a probe into the complaints of Cebu Pacific passengers inconvenienced by recent incidents of overbooking, offloading and online booking glitches.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. invites Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the Malacañang during the courtesy call of members of Thai company Charoen Pokphand, which plans to increase its investments in the PH, as seen in a post of Macapagal-Arroyo.

"In their courtesy call, they confirmed that they will expand their investments to help the Philippines in the quest of the Marcos administration to develop a model value chain in the country," the post reads.

— Cristina Chi

Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo denies rumors that she was "duped" by a congresswoman into planning a coup against House Speaker Romualdez after being told the plan had the blessings of First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos.

Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo denies rumors that she was "duped" by a congresswoman into planning a coup against House Speaker Romualdez after being told the plan had the blessings of First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos.@PhilstarNews pic.twitter.com/zWt9AUPMKM

— Cristina Chi ???? (@chicristina_) May 28, 2023

Arroyo also reminds the public of her role in shaping the UniTeam coalition, says she made a "humble contribution to the joining of forces that became the UniTeam" and the House supermajority and "would never take any action to destroy it. — Cristina Chi

The House of Representatives elects Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales, Jr. to replace ex-president Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as senior deputy speaker to “unburden” her from “the heavy load required from the position.” 

The notice came from House Majority Leader Manuel Dalipe. Rep. Macapagal-Arroyo’s camp has yet to give a statement to the media. — Cristina Chi

Bookmark this page for the latest breaking news on the House of Representatives. Photo courtesy of The STAR/Michael Varcas