House leaders urged to tackle minority’s resolutions

One of the bloc’s resolutions seeks an investigation into the operations of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators. #Houseminority

House Minority Leader and Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr.

House Minority Leader and Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. urged the House leadership to tackle next year resolutions filed by the members of the minority bloc.

Abante was referring to the resolution urging investigations into the operations of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators and the alleged irregularities and corruption in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.

The bloc has likewise filed a resolution to investigate the Department of Health’s supposed overstocking of medicines and a resolution urging the government to resume peace negotiations with the communist insurgents.

The Makabayan bloc which comprise the minority has filed a resolution seeking an investigation into the utilization of the Southeast Asian Games fund.

“We will investigate. I believe we owe it to the Filipino people. The truth should come out,” said Abante.

Abante lauded his peers for the approval of vital measures, including the proposed 2020 budget in the first five months of the 18th Congress.

With this, he said he will give lawmakers at the House a “very good” rating.

“We were able to pass the budget in less than a month time. I think the majority has really worked with us. The majority has given us leeway in the budget deliberations,” he said.

“In fact we monopolized the deliberations, the questions, queries and scrutiny. They allowed us to do that. Our performance is very good I believe,” he added.

As to the leadership of House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, Abante said he has no complaint.

“I don’t have any complaint because Speaker Alan used to be in the minority. He [understands] the workings of the minority,” said Abante.

Abante said when Cayetano became House Speaker the latter told him that minority lawmakers are free to scurtinize and that they will not be stopped.

In return, Abante said he promised Cayetano that the minority will speak only constructive criticism.

“I told him, this is what I could promise, we will not be opposing for the sake of opposing but we will be constructive in our opposition, in our deliberation,” he said.

The House minority bloc consists of 25 congressmen, 11 representing districts and 14 representing various sectors. Some are allies of the administration while others are members of the progressive group Makabayan.

At the chamber, political factions become visible during plenary debates and voting on administration bills.

It is normal that a bill gets less than 10 negative votes. This usually comes from the Makabayan bloc.

Members of the minority do not vote as one on bills.

In weekly minority press conferences, it is evident lawmakers do not always agree on topics they discussed with the media.

For one, the Makabayan bloc opposes the revival of the death penalty which Abante pushes for.

The Makabayan bloc pushes for the passage of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity or Expression (SOGIE) bill but Abante is pushing for a legislation that will give equal rights for all sectors not just for members of the gay community.

Abante’s rules of engagement are clear: Freedom of speech is of primordial importance and differences in opinion are to be respected.

“While we debate passionately about pressing issues of national significance, one thing is undebatable, we are united amidst our diversity.”

Asked if he will be among the lawmakers who will push for the continuation of Cayetano’s term, he said: “For me, I will not decide for anyone of them because I am the minority, I’m just going to wait.”

Abante said said he believes that the Speaker will respect the term sharing agreement.

He said be it Cayetano or Velasco, he only have one wish, that there will be continuity so as not to disrupt the House’s job to legislate.

Despite the minority’s good working relationship with the majority, Abante said heated debates on controversial measures such as death penalty and SOGIE bill, among other controversial bills, should still be expected.