EDITORIAL

Transparency among house reform priorities

A five-man House of Representative reforms committee has cited accountability and transparency as among the key areas that would be placed on top of its house-cleaning priorities.

Created last week by Speaker Prospero Nograles, the ad hoc special committee is composed of Assistant Majority Leaders Abraham Mitra (NP, Palawan) and Jesus Crispin Remulla (NP, Cavite), Representatives Florencio “Bem” Noel (An Warray), Joseph Emilio Abaya (LP, Cavite) and Roberto Cajes (Lakas, Bohol).

Noel said the first order of business would be to review the House rules and policies of the chamber. “We have been asking our colleagues for their ideas. There will be consultations because we want to start with the right foot forward,” the lawmaker said.

Noel said Nograles wants House reforms to devolve on five priority areas. These are: public participation in legislation, strict accountability and transparency, efficient access to information, legislative competence of members, and efficient human resources.

Nograles has ordered an audit of the House funds as he vowed to open the books of accounts of the chamber to all members. The new Speaker said the panel will be tasked to “collect, process and classify” the proposals for reforms to improve the image of the chamber.

The Davao City solon implored critics and supporters to give him sufficient time to carry out the reforms they are demanding, saying these reforms will be done with the help of the committee that will be formed soon.

Nograles’ office has reportedly been “swarmed with written proposals” on which areas in the legislative process should be prioritized. The lawmaker said transparency in the handling of funds and improving the performance and image of the chamber rank high among his priorities.

“There are several proposals about what we will do, including matters on internal affairs of the House, about the employees, apart from the internal concerns of congressmen. Hinimay-himay natin ito, and we are now accepting all these proposals,” said Nograles.

A reorganization of committee chairmanships appeared to be the least of Nograles’ concern. In fact, the Davao City lawmaker revealed to the media that he would reject courtesy resignations expected to be filed as of press time by Rep. Bienvenido Abante, chairman of the House Committee on Public Information, and Rep. Edno Joson, vice chairman of the agriculture panel.

Nograles said there will be no movements yet as far as the issue on committee chairmanships is concerned, adding that any revamp should be in consonance with the reform action plan that will be implemented.

The center of discussions would be reforms that the Lower House needs to immediately implement and not the reorganization of committees, he said. If there will be reorganization, it will be in harmony with the reforms that we want to put in place. “Reorganization will require a little time. For now, what we want to do is unify first the House and heal the wounds,” Nograles said.

At the rate Nograles is going, it seems unity is farthest from his mind but to cater top the whims of Malacanang.