CAMARINES Sur Rep. Luis Ray Villafuerte renewed his call for a five-day work week in Congress to enable lawmakers the speed up deliberations on the proposed shift to federalism.
Instead of a four-day week at the House of Representatives from Monday to Thursday, he said more time is needed to discuss the measure in the midst of the approval of a motion by the committee on constitutional amendment for Congress to constitute itself into a Constituent Assembly to amend the 1987 Constitution as well as Congress’ passage of the 2017 budget ahead of time.
Villafuerte is the vice chairperson of the committee on appropriations and vice chairman on local government.
Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez have agreed to discuss and approve the proposed 2017 GAA as early as possible to give the august body enough time to discuss amendments to the Constitution in January 2017.
Congress passed on third and final reading by a 243-5-1 vote President Rodrigo Duterte’s 2017 national budget of P3.35 trillion.
The committee on constitutional amendments also passed the resolution calling on the Congress to convene into a Con-Ass as a mode of Charter Change.
Both chambers adjourned last Oct. 20 for the All Soul’s Day break and will resume session on Nov. 6.
“Holding sessions from Mondays to Fridays would give us enough time and make us work faster in performing our lawmaking duties along with the extra workload of amending the Constitution via the Con-Ass route,” Villafuerte said.