House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, together with Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, posted an 82-percent attendance record during the first two months of the first regular session of the 18th Congress.
Cayetano and Romualdez were both present during the first two months of the present Congress, or from July 22 to Sept. 23.
Meanwhile, a congressman from Bicol said Tuesday the leadership of the House of Representatives was confident that an economic expansion of 6 percent or above”•as targeted by President Rodrigo Duterte’s economic team—was possible and could happen by further increasing state spending in the last quarter.
Deputy Speaker for finance Luis Raymund Villafuerte made the statement in response to the World Bank’s projected 5.8-percent growth in the gross domestic product of the Philippine economy this year, which it described as laudable.
Sept. 23 was the last day when a journal was posted in the House website and 234 House members attended the session.
The journals of proceedings showed an average of 246 of the 300 lawmakers attending the session or 20 session days, when Cayetano or the presiding officer ordered a roll call.
It was on July 22, or during the election of the Speaker, when the House of Representatives recorded up 297 lawmakers attending the session, the highest number of members present.
Based on the records, only three House members were absent on the first day of session on July 22: Sultan Kudarat Rep. Bai Sakaluran, DIWA Party-list Rep. Michael Aglipay, and former Marino Party-list Rep. Jose Antonio Lopez.
Last Sunday, Marino Party-list Rep. Sandro Gonzalez announced that Macnell Lusotan would assume his post as the second representative of the party-list after he was officially sworn in by Cayetano on Nov. 4, when the House resumes its session.
Marino won two seats in the 2019 elections but Lopez resigned for personal reasons.
On July 23 or the second day of session, the second highest attendance of 268 was recorded, followed by 266 on Aug. 13, 259 on Aug. 27 and 257 on July 31.
Based on the records, the lowest attendance of 185 was recorded on Aug. 20, a Tuesday, or the day sandwiched by holidays where the House decided to convene.
Aug. 19 was a holiday in Quezon City, where the House is located, while Aug. 21 was Ninoy Aquino Day.
Lawmakers held sessions until the first week of October, but the journals for the last few session days were not yet shown in the House website.
Upon Cayetano’s instruction, Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero of 1-Pacman said the House leaders led by Romualdez performed excellently in passing vital pieces of legislation to help President Rodrigo Duterte realize his vision of a better Philippines.
“The Speaker and all of us wanted to avoid the delay that we had this year in enacting the current national budget. It really took its toll on the economy and our people. It slowed down economic growth," Romero said.
Ako Bisaya Party-list Rep. Sonny Lagon, whose party-list is allied with the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats where Romualdez is president, commended his colleagues for their dedication to their legislative duties as shown by the impressive attendance record.
“Despite the spate of holidays, lawmakers chose to attend to their congressional work instead of going on an extended break. This is due to the strong and competent leadership for keeping the House of Representatives on track in achieving its legislative agenda and priorities,” Lagon said.
“This attendance record is unsurpassed, historic, and a testament to the determination and patriotism of the legislators, under the guidance of the present leadership.”
Despite the recent hotly contested speakership race, Romualdez said House leaders delivered President Duterte’s legislative agenda after processing 220 measures in 20 session days.