15th Congress of the Philippines
Encyclopedia
The Fifteenth Congress of the Philippines (Filipino
: Ikalabinlimang Kongreso ng Pilipinas) is the current meeting of the national legislature of the Republic of the Philippines
, composed of the Senate
and House of Representatives
. The convention of the 15th Congress
followed the 2010 Senate election
, which replaced half of the Senate membership, and the 2010 House of Representatives elections
which elected entire membership of the House of Representatives.
The House of Representatives meets in Batasang Pambansa Complex
and the Senate meets in the GSIS Building from July 26, 2010 to a certain date in 2013, from the first to possible third years of the presidency of Benigno Aquino III
; this will be the end of tenure for senators elected in 2007
. The 15th Congress was officially opened by President Aquino together with the joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
*for purposes of quorum and voting, the vacant seat is included.
*for purposes of quorum and voting, the one unfilled sectoral seat is not included.
is the ex officio chairman, while the president appoints the members, with confirmation from the Commission on Appointments.
; the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal on the other hand is composed of six representatives and three justices of the Supreme Court.
, the election of the presiding officers for both houses proceeded without incident as Quezon City
representative Feliciano Belmonte, Jr.
of the Liberal Party was elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives while Juan Ponce Enrile
of PMP was re-elected Senate President
. Alan Peter Cayetano
of the Nacionalistas and Albay
representative Edcel Lagman
of Lakas-Kampi were named minority floor leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives, respectively.
In his State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Benigno Aquino III
bared the anomalies during the Presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
such as a budget deficit in the first half of the year, a depleted calamity fund that mostly went to Pampanga
, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
's home province, corruption at the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, Department of Public Works and Highways
, National Power Corporation, Metro Rail Transit Corporation
and the National Food Authority
. Aquino announced steps to weed out tax evaders, and asked the Commission on Appointments to be easy on his Cabinet
.
(village) and Sangguniang Kabataan
(SK; youth council) elections in October until 2011. Lakas-Kampi representative Danilo Suarez of Quezon remarked that since the barangay and SK elections were too close to the just-concluded general election
, and that congressmen would ran out of funds as candidates for barangay positions turn to them for financial support. The president wants the barangay elections to be held at October, but the winners' terms shall only be until May 2013 where the barangay elections will be held concurrently with the 2013 general election
. In the Senate, Juan Miguel Zubiri
filed a bill that will postponed the elections until October 2012, with Enrile prioritizing it.
On August 18, the House of Representatives Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms agreed to consolidate bills that seek to postpone the barangay elections, with Commission on Elections
chairman Jose Melo
preferring a 2011 date since synchronizing it with the 2013 general election would be costly as it will be included in the automation project. The City Mayors League preferred postponement up to 2011, the Liga ng mga Barangay
wants a 2012 election while the SK prefers any year as long as it is held in October.
In the next hearing of the Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms, the bills deferring the elections were defeated, paving the way for the elections to be held on October 25. Committee chairman Elpidio Barzaga said that "Mr. Aquino wants elections to push through because he wants barangay officials who will serve during his term to have a fresh mandate from the people," with the ex officio members of the House of Representatives voting on Magtanggol Gunigundo's motion to "lay down all the bills on the table." This meant that any further hearings on the matter shall be suspended indefinitely.
Ombudsman
Merceditas Gutierrez, none of them passed the committee level.
On July 2010, Akbayan Citizens' Action Party
filed an impeachment complain against Gutierrez. A few days later in August, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (New Patriotic Alliance) filed a separate complaint. Both complaints were simultaneously referred to the House of Representative Committee on Justice headed by Iloilo
representative Niel Tupas, Jr.
On September 1, the committee voted both complaints as sufficient in form. A week later, the committee voted both complaints as sufficient in substance. On September 13, Gutierrez filed a motion to the Supreme Court
saying that the two complaints violated the one proceeding per year rule. The next day, the court voted to pass a status quo ante
order that stopped the impeachment proceedings.
Five months after the order, the court lifted the status quo ante order, on February 15, 2011, thereby allowing the impeachment proceedings to resume, saying that while there are two complaints, there was only one hearing. The day before the committee would've met to continue the proceedings, Gutierrez filed a motion for reconsideration to reinstate the status quo ante order. The committee met anyway, and found the two complaints sufficient in grounds.
On the next hearing, Gutierrez, who had not been attending the impeachment proceeding as she had pending cases on the Supreme Court, sent a representative. The committee was about to vote on whether the two complaints had probable cause when they learned that the Supreme Court dismissed Gutierrez's petitions; after they were notified, the committee voted that both complaints had probable cause.
After a marathon session that lasted into the next day, the House of Representatives on March 22 voted to impeach Gutierrez of betrayal of public trust, with 212 in favor, 46 against and 4 abstentions. Tupas headed the House of Representatives delegation that passed the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate on March 23.
Gutierrez, citing that "the President needs an Ombudsman in whom he has complete trust and confidence," resigned on April 29, 2011. With her resignation, the senate canceled the impeachment trial.
and Mindanao
as they contended that their allocation in the budget, 7.7% for the Visayas and 10% for Mindanao, were not enough. Appropriations Committee chair Joseph Emilio Abaya
said while that there will be realignments done, there will be no major realignments. Another point of contention was the conditional cash transfer program, which, Budget Secretary
Florencio Abad
, will help the country in halving poverty, which is one of the Millennium Development Goals
. The inclusion of the conditional cash transfer program caused the budget for the Department of Social Welfare and Development
to increase 123% from PHP15.4 billion to PHP34.3 billion. The PHP1.645 trillion budget was passed by the House of Representatives on October 16 in a marathon session.
The Senate approved their version of the budget, with the major changes from the House version include the increase in allocation for the Office of the Vice President, additional PHP590 million for the House of Representatives, additional PHP345 million for the Senate, the restoration of PHP143.107 million for public colleges, additional subsidy of PHP200 million for local government units and reducing PHP200 million from the Department of Health
supposedly for the purchase of contraceptives. The PHP21 billion conditional cash transfer program was kept.
On December 27, 2010, for the first time in eleven years, President Aquino signed the national budget into law before the year ended. Aquino veto
ed 13 items, including the provision that Congress should authorize borrowings in excess of the debt ceiling and legislative consultation during budget execution and project implementation.
and retired General Carlos Garcia who has a plunder suit in the Sandiganbayan
(special court for government officials). The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on the other hand, focused on the pabaon or send-off money given to generals.
On January 26, retired Col. George Rabusa exposed the alleged pabaon or send-off system in the military, which gives at least PHP
50 million (USD
4.64 million) to retiring chiefs of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP) On January 30, Rabusa further said that former AFP chiefs of staff Diomedio Villanueva and Roy Cimatu were also given send-off money, and former military comptrollers Carlos Garcia and Jacinto Ligot were instrumental to the transfer of funds; Garcia and Ligot had earlier been charged already due to the anomalies.
On a hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on Justice, former Commission on Audit (COA) auditor Heidi Mendoza testified that she uncovered irregularities in funds by the military. Among the irregularities she found was the 200 million peso AFP Inter-Agency Fund, and the USD5 million United Nations
(UN) reimbursement for Filipino peacekeepers.
Early morning of February 8, Reyes died in an apparent suicide. Later in the day, the House of Representatives Committee on Justice voted to continue the hearing. Mendoza testified that the military's modernization fund was diverted for the purchase of office supplies, and disputed former COA chairman Guillermo Carague, who denied that he ordered Mendoza to "go slow" in the Garcia case.
The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee summoned Ligot's wife Jacinta on the February 24 hearing; however, she was skipped as she was confined in Veterans Memorial Medical Center. Her brother, Edgardo Yambao, was also summoned but invoke his right against self-incrimination when asked about his wealth. On the March 21, hearing, Erlinda showed up but just like her husband and her brother, she refused to answer questions that were related to her husband's pending cases, invoking her right against self-incrimination. The Ligots did not appear in the March 25 hearing and was cited for contempt
; Jacinto was detained at the Senate while Erlinda's detention was suspended for humanitarian reasons. On the March 29 hearing, Erlinda cited "Dara" (Kapampangan
word to denote "aunt") as her frequent travel companion in her overseas trips; Senator Jinggoy Estrada
had earlier said that she had traveled with Reyes' wife Teresita. Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Teofisto Guingona III
ordered the release of General Ligot after the hearing.
(ARMM) and synchronize it with the 2013 mid-term election
. The officials that would end their terms on 2011 would be replaced by appointments by Aquino. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said that aside from ensuring clean elections, a synchronized ARMM election would be cost-effective. On March 22, the House of Representatives passed the bill before Congress went on recess, while the Senate would take up the measure after the recess. On May 3, the Supreme Court
ordered the executive and Congress to file comments on a petition from ARMM residents questioning the postponement.
disputed the committee's jurisdiction on the bills, saying it should have been referred to the Committee on Health. Committee chairman Rogelio Espina reasoned out that no one objected when the bills were referred to his committee. On January 31, 2011, the committee unanimously approved a consolidated version; the approval meant that for the first time after similar bills were created in 1998, that a reproductive health bill would be tackled in plenary session. On February 16, the House of Representatives appropriations committee approved funding for bill, with the Department of Health
and the Population Commission receiving additional budgets.
The measure would have been tackled in plenary session on March 8, but questions on quorum
and proper attire delayed the proceedings. The authors of the bill agreed to amend some provisions, such as making sex education
optional, removal of an "ideal family size" of two children, removal of the provision that orders business to provide reproductive health services to their employees, among others. Primary author Edcel Lagman
said that this would not water down the bill, as the "central idea" of the bill was not touched.
Filipino language
This move has drawn much criticism from other regional groups.In 1987, a new constitution introduced many provisions for the language.Article XIV, Section 6, omits any mention of Tagalog as the basis for Filipino, and states that:...
: Ikalabinlimang Kongreso ng Pilipinas) is the current meeting of the national legislature of the Republic of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, composed of the Senate
Senate of the Philippines
The Senate of the Philippines is the upper chamber of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, the Congress of the Philippines...
and House of Representatives
House of Representatives of the Philippines
The House of Representatives of the Philippines is the lower chamber of the...
. The convention of the 15th Congress
Congress of the Philippines
The Congress of the Philippines is the national legislature of the Republic of the Philippines. It is a bicameral body consisting of the Senate , and the House of Representatives although commonly in the Philippines the term congress refers to the latter.The Senate is composed of 24 senators half...
followed the 2010 Senate election
Philippine Senate election, 2010
Election to the Senate of the Philippines was held on Monday, May 10, 2010. This is to elect 12 of the 24 seats in the Senate. Together with those elected in 2007, they will comprise the 15th Congress. The senators elected in 2007 will serve until June 30, 2013, while the senators elected in this...
, which replaced half of the Senate membership, and the 2010 House of Representatives elections
Philippine House of Representatives elections, 2010
The 2010 Philippine House of Representatives elections were held on May 10, 2010 to elect members to the House of Representatives of the Philippines to serve in the 15th Congress of the Philippines from June 30, 2010 to June 30, 2013...
which elected entire membership of the House of Representatives.
The House of Representatives meets in Batasang Pambansa Complex
Batasang Pambansa Complex
The Batasang Pambansa Complex is the headquarters of the House of Representatives of the Philippines. It is located at Batasan Road, Batasan Hills, Quezon City....
and the Senate meets in the GSIS Building from July 26, 2010 to a certain date in 2013, from the first to possible third years of the presidency of Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III , also known as Noynoy Aquino or PNoy, is a Filipino politician who has been the 15th and current President of the Philippines since June 2010....
; this will be the end of tenure for senators elected in 2007
Philippine Senate election, 2007
Election to the Senate of the Philippines was held on Monday, May 14, 2007. This is to elect 12 of the 24 seats in the Senate. Together with those elected in 2004, they will comprise the 14th Congress via plurality-at-large voting. The senators elected in 2004 will serve until June 30, 2010, while...
. The 15th Congress was officially opened by President Aquino together with the joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Senate
- President of the Senate
-
- Juan Ponce EnrileJuan Ponce EnrileJuan Ponce Enrile is a Filipino politician. As a protege of President Ferdinand Marcos, he served as Justice Secretary and then Defense Secretary under the Marcos regime. He later became one of the leaders of the 1986 People Power Movement that drove Marcos from power...
(PMP), elected July 26, 2010
- Juan Ponce Enrile
- Senate President Pro-Tempore
-
- Jinggoy Ejercito EstradaJinggoy EstradaJose Pimentel Ejercito, Jr. , better known as Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada, is a Filipino politician and former film actor who has been a member of the Senate of the Philippines since 2004...
(PMP), elected July 26, 2010
- Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
- Majority Floor Leader
-
- Vicente C. Sotto IIIVicente Sotto IIIVicente Castelo Sotto III , also known as Tito Sotto, is an actor, comedian, musician, television presenter, and politician in the Philippines...
(NPCNationalist People's CoalitionThe Nationalist People's Coalition or NPC is a political party in the Philippines.-History:The Party was founded in 1991 after some members of the Nacionalista Party led by then Rizal Governor Isidro Rodriguez bolted from the Nacionalista Party after some disagreements with Nacionalista party...
), elected July 26, 2010
- Vicente C. Sotto III
- Minority Floor Leader
-
- Alan Peter S. CayetanoAlan Peter CayetanoAlan Peter Schramm Cayetano is a senator from the Philippines.He was the congressional representative from the district of Taguig-Pateros for 9 years. He had a seven-point program for his Taguig-Pateros constituency in Metro Manila. He ran for senator on the May 14, 2007 Philippine elections under...
(NacionalistaNacionalista PartyThe Nacionalista Party is the oldest political party in the Philippines today and was responsible for leading the country throughout the majority of the 20th century since its founding in 1907...
), elected July 26, 2010
- Alan Peter S. Cayetano
House of Representatives
- Speaker of the House of Representatives
-
- Feliciano R. Belmonte, Jr.Feliciano Belmonte, Jr.Feliciano "Sonny" Racimo Belmonte, Jr. is a member of the Philippine House of Representatives representing the Fourth District of Quezon City. He is also the house speaker of the Congress from 2010 to present. He was the mayor of Quezon City from 2001-2010.-Early Life and Career:Belmonte was born...
(LiberalLiberal Party (Philippines)The Liberal Party of the Philippines is a liberal party in the Philippines, founded by then senators Senate President Manuel Roxas, Senate President Pro-Tempore Elpidio Quirino, and former 9th Senatorial District Senator Jose Avelino, on November 24, 1945 by a breakaway Liberal group from the...
, 4th District of Quezon City), elected July 26, 2010
- Feliciano R. Belmonte, Jr.
- Deputy Speakers
-
- Lorenzo Tañada IIILorenzo Tañada IIILorenzo "Erin" Reyes Tañada III is a Filipino politician. A member of the Liberal Party, he was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines representing the 4th District of Quezon beginning in 2004...
(LiberalLiberal Party (Philippines)The Liberal Party of the Philippines is a liberal party in the Philippines, founded by then senators Senate President Manuel Roxas, Senate President Pro-Tempore Elpidio Quirino, and former 9th Senatorial District Senator Jose Avelino, on November 24, 1945 by a breakaway Liberal group from the...
, 4th District of QuezonLegislative districts of QuezonThe Legislative Districts of Quezon, namely the first, second, third and fourth districts, are the current representations of the Province of Quezon and the independent city of Lucena in the Philippine House of Representatives....
) - Raul Daza (LiberalLiberal Party (Philippines)The Liberal Party of the Philippines is a liberal party in the Philippines, founded by then senators Senate President Manuel Roxas, Senate President Pro-Tempore Elpidio Quirino, and former 9th Senatorial District Senator Jose Avelino, on November 24, 1945 by a breakaway Liberal group from the...
, 1st District of Northern Samar) - Ma. Isabelle Climaco-SalazarMaria Isabelle Climaco SalazarMaria Isabelle Climaco Salazar , also known as Beng Climaco is a Filipino politician.Having been elected as a topnotch Councilor of the Zamboanga City for two terms, her performance was undeniably outstanding...
, (LiberalLiberal Party (Philippines)The Liberal Party of the Philippines is a liberal party in the Philippines, founded by then senators Senate President Manuel Roxas, Senate President Pro-Tempore Elpidio Quirino, and former 9th Senatorial District Senator Jose Avelino, on November 24, 1945 by a breakaway Liberal group from the...
, 1st District of Zamboanga City) - Pablo P. GarciaPablo P. GarciaPablo Paras Garcia is a Filipino politician. A graduate of the University of San Carlos, Garcia placed 3rd in the 1951 Philippine Bar Examination with a rating of 91.5%. Garcia served as governor of Cebu from 1995 to 2004. He had previously served as the vice-governor of Cebu from 1969 to 1971...
(One CebuOne CebuOne Cebu is a provincial political party based in the province of Cebu. It is headed by Gwendolyn Garcia, the current governor of Cebu.- History :...
/NUPNational Unity Party (Philippines)National Unity Party is a political party in the Philippines. The party was formed by former members of the Lakas Kampi CMD who broke away after internal discontent within the party...
, 3rd District of Cebu) - Arnulfo P. FuentebellaArnulfo FuentebellaArnulfo P. Fuentabella was the Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives from 2000 to 2001. He is now a representative of Camarines Sur.-Speakership:...
(NPCNationalist People's CoalitionThe Nationalist People's Coalition or NPC is a political party in the Philippines.-History:The Party was founded in 1991 after some members of the Nacionalista Party led by then Rizal Governor Isidro Rodriguez bolted from the Nacionalista Party after some disagreements with Nacionalista party...
, 3rd District of Camarines SurLegislative districts of Camarines SurThe Legislative Districts of Camarines Sur, namely the first, second, third and fourth districts are the representations of the Province of Camarines Sur and the independent city of Naga in the Philippine House of Representatives. Camarines Sur was represented as part of Ambos Camarines until it...
) - Jesus Crispin RemullaJesus Crispin RemullaJesus Crispin "Boying" C. Remulla is a Filipino politician from the province of Cavite. A member of the Nacionalista Party, he has been elected to three terms as a Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, representing the Third District of Cavite...
(NacionalistaNacionalista PartyThe Nacionalista Party is the oldest political party in the Philippines today and was responsible for leading the country throughout the majority of the 20th century since its founding in 1907...
, 7th District of Cavite)
- Lorenzo Tañada III
- Majority Floor Leader
-
- Neptali Gonzales Jr.Neptali M. Gonzales, Jr.Neptali "Boyet" Medina Gonzales, Jr. is a Filipino lawmaker. He is a current house member, representing the Lone District of Mandaluyong City in the Filipino House of Representatives. He has been a house member during the 10th, 11th, 12th and 14th Congress, respectively...
(LiberalLiberal Party (Philippines)The Liberal Party of the Philippines is a liberal party in the Philippines, founded by then senators Senate President Manuel Roxas, Senate President Pro-Tempore Elpidio Quirino, and former 9th Senatorial District Senator Jose Avelino, on November 24, 1945 by a breakaway Liberal group from the...
, Lone District of Mandaluyong City)
- Neptali Gonzales Jr.
- Minority Floor Leader
-
- Edcel LagmanEdcel LagmanEdcel Lagman is a Filipino politician from the province of Albay and a prominent supporter of the Reproductive Health Bill .-Political life:...
(Lakas-Kampi-CMDLakas-Kampi-CMDLakas Kampi CMD is a center-right political party in the Philippines and the current minority party in the country. Its ideology is heavily influenced by Christian and Islamic democracy...
, 1st District of Albay)
- Edcel Lagman
Senate
| Affiliation | Party (Majority/minority bloc/unclassified) (Shading indicates party has members in the majority bloc) |
Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LDP Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino The Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino is a political party in the Philippines founded in 1988.There are no results available of the last elections for the House of Representatives, but according to the website of the House, the party holds 7 out of 235 seats . The party is divided into two factions... |
LKS- KAM Lakas-Kampi-CMD Lakas Kampi CMD is a center-right political party in the Philippines and the current minority party in the country. Its ideology is heavily influenced by Christian and Islamic democracy... |
LP Liberal Party (Philippines) The Liberal Party of the Philippines is a liberal party in the Philippines, founded by then senators Senate President Manuel Roxas, Senate President Pro-Tempore Elpidio Quirino, and former 9th Senatorial District Senator Jose Avelino, on November 24, 1945 by a breakaway Liberal group from the... |
NP Nacionalista Party The Nacionalista Party is the oldest political party in the Philippines today and was responsible for leading the country throughout the majority of the 20th century since its founding in 1907... |
NPC Nationalist People's Coalition The Nationalist People's Coalition or NPC is a political party in the Philippines.-History:The Party was founded in 1991 after some members of the Nacionalista Party led by then Rizal Governor Isidro Rodriguez bolted from the Nacionalista Party after some disagreements with Nacionalista party... |
PDP | PRP People's Reform Party The People's Reform Party is a political party in the Philippines. Founded on April 12, 1991 as the political party of former Agrarian Reform Secretary Miriam Defensor-Santiago for her bid as President in the 1992 Presidential Elections. During the 1992 Elections, the party nominated Santiago as... |
PMP | Ind | B-VNP | Vacant | ||
| End of 14th Congress 14th Congress of the Philippines The Fourteenth Congress of the Philippines was the national legislature of the Republic of the Philippines, composed of the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives... |
1 / 0 | 3 / 1 | 3 / 1 | 0 / 3 | 1 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 1 / 0 | 2 / 0 | 4 / 1 | 1 / 0 | 23 | 1 |
| Election | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| June 30, 2010 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 23 | 1 |
| July 25, 2010 | 1 / 0 | 2 / 1 | 4 / 0 | 2 / 2 | 2 / 0 | 1 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 2 / 0 | 3 / 2 | 0 | 23 | 1 |
| August 2, 2010 | 1 / 0 | 2 / 1 | 4 / 0 | 2 / 2 | 2 / 0 | 1 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 2 / 0 | 5 / 0 | 0 | 23 | 1 |
| August 4, 2010 | 1 / 0 | 2 / 1 | 4 / 0 | 2 / 2 | 2 / 0 | 1 / 0 | 1 / 0 | 2 / 0 | 5 / 0 | 0 | 23 | 1 |
| August 3, 2011 | 1 / 0 | 2 / 1 | 4 / 0 | 2 / 2 | 2 / 0 | 1 / 0 | 1 / 0 | 2 / 0 | 4 / 0 | 0 | 22 | 2 |
| August 15, 2011 | 1 / 0 | 2 / 1 | 4 / 0 | 2 / 2 | 2 / 0 | 1/0/1 | 1 / 0 | 2 / 0 | 5 / 0 | 0 | 23 | 1 |
| August 17, 2011 | 1 / 0 | 2 / 1 | 4 / 0 | 2 / 2 | 2 / 0 | 2 / 0 | 1 / 0 | 2 / 0 | 5 / 0 | 0 | 23 | 1 |
House of Representatives
| Affiliation | Party | Total | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bil | KBL Kilusang Bagong Lipunan The Kilusang Bagong Lipunan , formerly the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan ng Nagkakaisang Nacionalista, Liberal, at iba pa, , is a political party in the Philippines... |
LDP Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino The Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino is a political party in the Philippines founded in 1988.There are no results available of the last elections for the House of Representatives, but according to the website of the House, the party holds 7 out of 235 seats . The party is divided into two factions... |
LKS- KAM Lakas-Kampi-CMD Lakas Kampi CMD is a center-right political party in the Philippines and the current minority party in the country. Its ideology is heavily influenced by Christian and Islamic democracy... |
LM | LP Liberal Party (Philippines) The Liberal Party of the Philippines is a liberal party in the Philippines, founded by then senators Senate President Manuel Roxas, Senate President Pro-Tempore Elpidio Quirino, and former 9th Senatorial District Senator Jose Avelino, on November 24, 1945 by a breakaway Liberal group from the... |
NP Nacionalista Party The Nacionalista Party is the oldest political party in the Philippines today and was responsible for leading the country throughout the majority of the 20th century since its founding in 1907... |
NPC Nationalist People's Coalition The Nationalist People's Coalition or NPC is a political party in the Philippines.-History:The Party was founded in 1991 after some members of the Nacionalista Party led by then Rizal Governor Isidro Rodriguez bolted from the Nacionalista Party after some disagreements with Nacionalista party... |
NUP National Unity Party (Philippines) National Unity Party is a political party in the Philippines. The party was formed by former members of the Lakas Kampi CMD who broke away after internal discontent within the party... |
PDP | PDSP | PMP | Ind | LT | PL Sectoral representation in the House of Representatives of the Philippines The sectoral representation in the House of Representatives of the Philippines is achieved via the party-list system of representation. Under-represented sectoral groups such as labor, peasant, urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, women, youth, and such other sectors as may be provided by... |
Vacant | ||
| End of 14th Congress 14th Congress of the Philippines The Fourteenth Congress of the Philippines was the national legislature of the Republic of the Philippines, composed of the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives... |
0 | 0 | 1 | 123 | 1 | 30 | 24 | 25 | — | 5 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 53 | 269 | 3 |
| Election Philippine House of Representatives elections, 2010 The 2010 Philippine House of Representatives elections were held on May 10, 2010 to elect members to the House of Representatives of the Philippines to serve in the 15th Congress of the Philippines from June 30, 2010 to June 30, 2013... |
0 | 1 | 2 | 105 | 1 | 45 | 24 | 30 | — | 2 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 227 | 53 |
| May 31, 2010 | 105 | 35 | 262 | 24 | |||||||||||||
| June 25, 2010 | 1 | 96 | 66 | 22 | 31 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 35 | ||||||||
| July 22, 2010 | 95 | 35 | 261 | 25 | |||||||||||||
| July 25, 2010 | 1 | 1 | 89 | 1 | 73 | 22 | 30 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 39 | 266 | 20 | ||||
| August 2, 2010 | 44 | 270 | 16 | ||||||||||||||
| September 1, 2010 | 46 | 272 | 14 | ||||||||||||||
| September 7, 2010 | 47 | 273 | 13 | ||||||||||||||
| September 21, 2010 | 50 | 276 | 10 | ||||||||||||||
| September 27, 2010 | 53 | 279 | 7 | ||||||||||||||
| October 7, 2010 | 54 | 280 | 6 | ||||||||||||||
| November 22, 2010 | 90 | 281 | 5 | ||||||||||||||
| November 30, 2010 | 91 | 282 | 4 | ||||||||||||||
| December 2010 | 61 | 30 | |||||||||||||||
| January 17, 2011 | 55 | 283 | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| March 7, 2011 | 60 | 56 | |||||||||||||||
| March 16, 2011 | 61 | 284 | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| May 30, 2011 | 1 | 285 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| August 3, 2011 | 0 | 284 | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| Current voting share | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 21.5% | 0.0% | 25.7% | 7.7% | 10.6% | 10.6% | 0.7% | 0.0% | 1.8% | 0.7% | 0.0% | 19.7% | ||
Senate
| Party | Majority Bloc | Minority Bloc | Total | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 4.17% | ||
| 2 | 1 | 3 | 12.50% | ||
| 4 | 0 | 4 | 16.67% | ||
| 2 | 2 | 4 | 16.67% | ||
| 2 | 0 | 2 | 8.33% | ||
| 2 | 0 | 2 | 8.33% | ||
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 4.17% | ||
| 2 | 0 | 2 | 8.33% | ||
| 4 | 0 | 4 | 16.67% | ||
| Totals | 20 | 3 | 23 | 95.83* | |
House of Representatives
| Party | Majority Bloc | Minority Bloc | Total | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.35% | ||
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.35% | ||
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.35% | ||
| 35 | 26 | 61 | 21.40% | ||
| 73 | 0 | 73 | 25.61% | ||
| 20 | 2 | 22 | 7.72% | ||
| 30 | 0 | 30 | 10.53% | ||
| 30 | 0 | 30 | 10.53% | ||
| 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.70% | ||
| 5 | 0 | 5 | 1.75% | ||
| 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.70% | ||
| Sectoral Sectoral representation in the House of Representatives of the Philippines The sectoral representation in the House of Representatives of the Philippines is achieved via the party-list system of representation. Under-represented sectoral groups such as labor, peasant, urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, women, youth, and such other sectors as may be provided by... |
51 | 5 | 56 | 19.65% | |
| Totals | 250 | 34 | 286 | 100.00%* | |
Memberships in committees and other bodies
- Note: Doesn't include oversight committees created for specific laws.
Commission on Appointments
The Senate President sits as the chair of the Commission on Appointments, who can only vote to break ties; the head of the contingent of the House of Representatives serves as the vice chairman and can vote not just only to break ties.| Chamber | |Party | Chair/vice chair | |Party | Minority leader |
|---|---|---|
| Senate |
Juan Ponce Enrile Juan Ponce Enrile Juan Ponce Enrile is a Filipino politician. As a protege of President Ferdinand Marcos, he served as Justice Secretary and then Defense Secretary under the Marcos regime. He later became one of the leaders of the 1986 People Power Movement that drove Marcos from power... |
Joker Arroyo Joker Arroyo Joker Paz Arroyo is a Filipino lawyer, politician and Senator of the Republic of the Philippines. He has no direct relation with former Presidential spouse Jose Miguel Arroyo.-Early life and career:... |
| House of Representatives |
Roilo Golez Roilo Golez Roilo Golez is a Philippine politician on his sixth term as Member of the Philippine House of Representatives representing the Second District of Parañaque City, one of the most industrialized districts of the Philippines... |
Simeon Datumanong Simeon Datumanong Simeon Datumanong is a Filipino-Muslim politician who held different government positions and currently serves as a Representative of the lone district of Maguindanao in the House of Representatives of the Philippines... |
Judicial and Bar Council
The chairs of the respective houses' committees of justice shall serve as ex officio members of the Judicial and Bar Council. The Chief JusticeChief Justice of the Philippines
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines presides over the Supreme Court of the Philippines and is the highest judicial officer of the government of the Philippines...
is the ex officio chairman, while the president appoints the members, with confirmation from the Commission on Appointments.
| Chamber | |Party | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Senate |
Francis Escudero Francis Escudero Francis Joseph "Chiz" Guevara Escudero is a Filipino politician who has been a member of the Philippine Senate since 2007... |
|
| House of Representatives |
Niel Tupas, Jr. |
Electoral tribunals
The Senate Electoral Tribunal is composed of six senators and three justices of the Supreme CourtSupreme Court of the Philippines
The Supreme Court of the Philippines is the Philippines' highest judicial court, as well as the court of last resort. The court consists of 14 Associate Justices and 1 Chief Justice...
; the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal on the other hand is composed of six representatives and three justices of the Supreme Court.
| Electoral tribubal | |Party | Contingent leader | |Party | Minority leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senate |
Francis Pangilinan |
Pia Cayetano | ||
| House of Representatives |
Franklin Bautista Franklin Bautista Franklin P. Bautista is a Filipino politician. A member of the KAMPI political party, he has been elected to two terms as a Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, representing the Second District of Davao del Sur. He first served from 1998 to 2001, and was again elected in... |
Simeon Datumanong Simeon Datumanong Simeon Datumanong is a Filipino-Muslim politician who held different government positions and currently serves as a Representative of the lone district of Maguindanao in the House of Representatives of the Philippines... |
Senate committees
The Senate President, Senate President pro tempore and the Floor Leaders are ex officio members of all committees; the majority floor leader is automatically the chair of the Committee on Rules.House of Representatives committees
The Speaker, Deputy Speakers and the Floor Leaders are ex officio members of all committees; the majority floor leader is automatically the chair of the Committee on Rules.Legislative calendar
- First Regular Session:
- Commencement: July 26, 2010
- Adjournment: October 16, 2010
- Resumption: November 8, 2010
- Adjournment: December 18, 2010
- Resumption: January 17, 2011
- Adjournment: March 26, 2011
- Resumption: May 9, 2011
- Adjournment: June 9, 2011
- Second Regular Session
- Commencement: July 25, 2011
- Third Regular Session
Convening
Unlike at the beginning of the 14th Congress14th Congress of the Philippines
The Fourteenth Congress of the Philippines was the national legislature of the Republic of the Philippines, composed of the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives...
, the election of the presiding officers for both houses proceeded without incident as Quezon City
Quezon City
Quezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...
representative Feliciano Belmonte, Jr.
Feliciano Belmonte, Jr.
Feliciano "Sonny" Racimo Belmonte, Jr. is a member of the Philippine House of Representatives representing the Fourth District of Quezon City. He is also the house speaker of the Congress from 2010 to present. He was the mayor of Quezon City from 2001-2010.-Early Life and Career:Belmonte was born...
of the Liberal Party was elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives while Juan Ponce Enrile
Juan Ponce Enrile
Juan Ponce Enrile is a Filipino politician. As a protege of President Ferdinand Marcos, he served as Justice Secretary and then Defense Secretary under the Marcos regime. He later became one of the leaders of the 1986 People Power Movement that drove Marcos from power...
of PMP was re-elected Senate President
President of the Senate of the Philippines
The President of the Senate of the Philippines, or more popularly known as the Senate President, is the presiding officer and the highest ranking-official of the Senate of the Philippines. He/she is elected by the entire body to be their leader...
. Alan Peter Cayetano
Alan Peter Cayetano
Alan Peter Schramm Cayetano is a senator from the Philippines.He was the congressional representative from the district of Taguig-Pateros for 9 years. He had a seven-point program for his Taguig-Pateros constituency in Metro Manila. He ran for senator on the May 14, 2007 Philippine elections under...
of the Nacionalistas and Albay
Albay
Albay is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Luzon. Its capital is Legazpi City and the province borders Camarines Sur to the north and Sorsogon to the south. Also to the northeast is Lagonoy Gulf....
representative Edcel Lagman
Edcel Lagman
Edcel Lagman is a Filipino politician from the province of Albay and a prominent supporter of the Reproductive Health Bill .-Political life:...
of Lakas-Kampi were named minority floor leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives, respectively.
In his State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III , also known as Noynoy Aquino or PNoy, is a Filipino politician who has been the 15th and current President of the Philippines since June 2010....
bared the anomalies during the Presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
The Presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo spans from January 20, 2001 to June 30, 2010. Her term ended on June 30, 2010, pursuant to the provisions of the 1987 constitution.-Overview:...
such as a budget deficit in the first half of the year, a depleted calamity fund that mostly went to Pampanga
Pampanga
Pampanga is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Pampanga is bordered by the provinces of Bataan and Zambales to the west, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija to the north, and Bulacan to the southeast...
, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
's home province, corruption at the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, Department of Public Works and Highways
Department of Public Works and Highways (Philippines)
The Philippines’ Department of Public Works and Highways , abbreviated as DPWH, is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for all safety of projects in the field of public works...
, National Power Corporation, Metro Rail Transit Corporation
Metro Rail Transit Corporation
The Metro Rail Transit Corporation is a private consortium responsible for the maintenance of the Manila Metro Rail Transit System. It is also the original contractor for the MRT project...
and the National Food Authority
National Food Authority (Philippines)
The Philippines' National Food Authority , abbreviated as NFA, is an agency of the Philippine government under the Department of Agriculture responsible for ensuring the food security of the Philippines and the stability of supply and price of the staple grain-rice.-History:The National Food...
. Aquino announced steps to weed out tax evaders, and asked the Commission on Appointments to be easy on his Cabinet
Cabinet of the Philippines
The Cabinet of the Philippines consists of the heads of the largest part of the executive branch of the national government of the Philippines...
.
Postponement of the barangay elections
The minority bloc filed bills to postpone the upcoming barangayBarangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
(village) and Sangguniang Kabataan
Sangguniang Kabataan
The Sangguniang Kabataan is the governing body in every chapter of the Katipunan ng Kabataan . Each barangay in the Philippines is mandated by law to have its own chapter of the Katipunan ng Kabataan, aging from 15 to 18 years old who resides in their respective barangays for at least 6months...
(SK; youth council) elections in October until 2011. Lakas-Kampi representative Danilo Suarez of Quezon remarked that since the barangay and SK elections were too close to the just-concluded general election
Philippine general election, 2010
Elections for all positions in the Philippines above the barangay were held on Monday, May 10, 2010. The elected president will become the 15th President of the Philippines, succeeding President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is barred from seeking re-election due to term restrictions...
, and that congressmen would ran out of funds as candidates for barangay positions turn to them for financial support. The president wants the barangay elections to be held at October, but the winners' terms shall only be until May 2013 where the barangay elections will be held concurrently with the 2013 general election
Philippine general election, 2013
Legislative elections and local elections will be held on May 13, 2013. The duly elected legislators of the 2013 elections will join the elected senators of the 2010 elections and will comprise the 16th Congress of the Philippines...
. In the Senate, Juan Miguel Zubiri
Juan Miguel Zubiri
Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri is a Filipino politician who served as a Congressman representing the third district of Bukidnon for three consecutive terms, and was the Senate of the Philippines Majority Leader, replacing Senator Francis Pangilinan on November 17, 2008...
filed a bill that will postponed the elections until October 2012, with Enrile prioritizing it.
On August 18, the House of Representatives Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms agreed to consolidate bills that seek to postpone the barangay elections, with Commission on Elections
Commission on Elections (Philippines)
The Commission on Elections, or COMELEC, is one of the three constitutional commissions of the Philippines. Its principal role is to enforce all laws and regulations relative to the conduct of elections, initiatives, referendums, and recalls....
chairman Jose Melo
Jose Melo
Jose Armando R. Melo is a Filipino lawyer and jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from 1992 to 2002. He is a former Chairman of the Commission on Elections , and was succeeded by election lawyer Sixto Brillantes.-Early life and education:Melo was born...
preferring a 2011 date since synchronizing it with the 2013 general election would be costly as it will be included in the automation project. The City Mayors League preferred postponement up to 2011, the Liga ng mga Barangay
Liga ng mga Barangay
The Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas is a formal organization of all the barangays in the Philippines...
wants a 2012 election while the SK prefers any year as long as it is held in October.
In the next hearing of the Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms, the bills deferring the elections were defeated, paving the way for the elections to be held on October 25. Committee chairman Elpidio Barzaga said that "Mr. Aquino wants elections to push through because he wants barangay officials who will serve during his term to have a fresh mandate from the people," with the ex officio members of the House of Representatives voting on Magtanggol Gunigundo's motion to "lay down all the bills on the table." This meant that any further hearings on the matter shall be suspended indefinitely.
Impeachment of Merceditas Gutierrez
While there had been attempts in the 14th Congress, to impeachImpeachment in the Philippines
Impeachment in the Philippines is an expressed power of the Congress of the Philippines to formally charge a serving government official with an impeachable offense. After being impeached by the House of Representatives, the official is then tried in the Senate...
Ombudsman
Philippine Ombudsman
The Ombudsman of the Philippines is an ombudsman responsible for investigating and prosecuting Philippine government officials accused of crimes....
Merceditas Gutierrez, none of them passed the committee level.
On July 2010, Akbayan Citizens' Action Party
Akbayan Citizens' Action Party
The Akbayan Citizens' Action Party or AKBAYAN is a registered national political party representing marginalized sectors in the Philippines. Akbayan first participated in the partylist elections in the House of Representatives in the 1998 National Elections and won one seat. The first...
filed an impeachment complain against Gutierrez. A few days later in August, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (New Patriotic Alliance) filed a separate complaint. Both complaints were simultaneously referred to the House of Representative Committee on Justice headed by Iloilo
Iloilo
Iloilo is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Iloilo occupies the southeast portion of Panay Island and is bordered by Antique Province to the west and Capiz Province and the Jintotolo Channel to the north. Just off Iloilo's southeast coast is Guimaras Province,...
representative Niel Tupas, Jr.
On September 1, the committee voted both complaints as sufficient in form. A week later, the committee voted both complaints as sufficient in substance. On September 13, Gutierrez filed a motion to the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the Philippines
The Supreme Court of the Philippines is the Philippines' highest judicial court, as well as the court of last resort. The court consists of 14 Associate Justices and 1 Chief Justice...
saying that the two complaints violated the one proceeding per year rule. The next day, the court voted to pass a status quo ante
Status quo ante
Status quo ante is Latin for "the way things were before" and incorporates the term status quo. In law, it refers to the objective of a temporary restraining order or a rescission in which the situation is restored to "the state in which previously" it existed...
order that stopped the impeachment proceedings.
Five months after the order, the court lifted the status quo ante order, on February 15, 2011, thereby allowing the impeachment proceedings to resume, saying that while there are two complaints, there was only one hearing. The day before the committee would've met to continue the proceedings, Gutierrez filed a motion for reconsideration to reinstate the status quo ante order. The committee met anyway, and found the two complaints sufficient in grounds.
On the next hearing, Gutierrez, who had not been attending the impeachment proceeding as she had pending cases on the Supreme Court, sent a representative. The committee was about to vote on whether the two complaints had probable cause when they learned that the Supreme Court dismissed Gutierrez's petitions; after they were notified, the committee voted that both complaints had probable cause.
After a marathon session that lasted into the next day, the House of Representatives on March 22 voted to impeach Gutierrez of betrayal of public trust, with 212 in favor, 46 against and 4 abstentions. Tupas headed the House of Representatives delegation that passed the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate on March 23.
Gutierrez, citing that "the President needs an Ombudsman in whom he has complete trust and confidence," resigned on April 29, 2011. With her resignation, the senate canceled the impeachment trial.
2011 national budget
The deliberations for the enactment of the national budget were opposed by several representatives from the VisayasVisayas
The Visayas or Visayan Islands and locally known as Kabisay-an gid, is one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Mindanao and Luzon. It consists of several islands, primarily surrounding the Visayan Sea, although the Visayas are considered the northeast...
and Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
as they contended that their allocation in the budget, 7.7% for the Visayas and 10% for Mindanao, were not enough. Appropriations Committee chair Joseph Emilio Abaya
Joseph Emilio Abaya
Joseph Emilio "Jun" Aguinaldo Abaya is a Filipino politician. A member of the Liberal Party, he has been elected to two terms as a Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, representing the 1st District of Cavite...
said while that there will be realignments done, there will be no major realignments. Another point of contention was the conditional cash transfer program, which, Budget Secretary
Department of Budget and Management (Philippines)
The Philippines' Department of Budget and Management is an executive body under the Office of the President of the Philippines...
Florencio Abad
Florencio Abad
Florencio "Butch" Barsana Abad is the current Philippine Secretary of Budget and Management. On June 29, 2010, President Benigno Aquino III picked him as his Secretary of Budget and Management...
, will help the country in halving poverty, which is one of the Millennium Development Goals
Millennium Development Goals
The Millennium Development Goals are eight international development goals that all 193 United Nations member states and at least 23 international organizations have agreed to achieve by the year 2015...
. The inclusion of the conditional cash transfer program caused the budget for the Department of Social Welfare and Development
Department of Social Welfare and Development (Philippines)
The Philippines Department of Social Welfare and Development is the executive department of the Philippine Government responsible for the protection of the social welfare rights of Filipinos and to promote social development.-History:...
to increase 123% from PHP15.4 billion to PHP34.3 billion. The PHP1.645 trillion budget was passed by the House of Representatives on October 16 in a marathon session.
The Senate approved their version of the budget, with the major changes from the House version include the increase in allocation for the Office of the Vice President, additional PHP590 million for the House of Representatives, additional PHP345 million for the Senate, the restoration of PHP143.107 million for public colleges, additional subsidy of PHP200 million for local government units and reducing PHP200 million from the Department of Health
Department of Health (Philippines)
The Philippines’ Department of Health is the principal health agency in the Philippines. It is the executive department of the Philippine Government responsible for ensuring access to basic public health services to all Filipinos through the provision of quality health care and the regulation of...
supposedly for the purchase of contraceptives. The PHP21 billion conditional cash transfer program was kept.
On December 27, 2010, for the first time in eleven years, President Aquino signed the national budget into law before the year ended. Aquino veto
Veto
A veto, Latin for "I forbid", is the power of an officer of the state to unilaterally stop an official action, especially enactment of a piece of legislation...
ed 13 items, including the provision that Congress should authorize borrowings in excess of the debt ceiling and legislative consultation during budget execution and project implementation.
Investigation of the alleged corruption in the military
The House Committee on Justice conducted hearings on the plea bargaining agreement of the Office of the OmbudsmanPhilippine Ombudsman
The Ombudsman of the Philippines is an ombudsman responsible for investigating and prosecuting Philippine government officials accused of crimes....
and retired General Carlos Garcia who has a plunder suit in the Sandiganbayan
Sandiganbayan
The Sandiganbayan is a special court in the Philippines which was established under Presidential Decree No. 1606. Its rank is equivalent to the Court of Appeals. The court consists of 14 Associate Justices and 1 Presiding Justice...
(special court for government officials). The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on the other hand, focused on the pabaon or send-off money given to generals.
On January 26, retired Col. George Rabusa exposed the alleged pabaon or send-off system in the military, which gives at least PHP
Philippine peso
The peso is the currency of the Philippines. It is subdivided into 100 centavos . Before 1967, the language used on the banknotes and coins was English and so "peso" was the name used...
50 million (USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
4.64 million) to retiring chiefs of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
Armed Forces of the Philippines
The Armed Forces of the Philippines is composed of the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force...
(AFP) On January 30, Rabusa further said that former AFP chiefs of staff Diomedio Villanueva and Roy Cimatu were also given send-off money, and former military comptrollers Carlos Garcia and Jacinto Ligot were instrumental to the transfer of funds; Garcia and Ligot had earlier been charged already due to the anomalies.
On a hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on Justice, former Commission on Audit (COA) auditor Heidi Mendoza testified that she uncovered irregularities in funds by the military. Among the irregularities she found was the 200 million peso AFP Inter-Agency Fund, and the USD5 million United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
(UN) reimbursement for Filipino peacekeepers.
Early morning of February 8, Reyes died in an apparent suicide. Later in the day, the House of Representatives Committee on Justice voted to continue the hearing. Mendoza testified that the military's modernization fund was diverted for the purchase of office supplies, and disputed former COA chairman Guillermo Carague, who denied that he ordered Mendoza to "go slow" in the Garcia case.
The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee summoned Ligot's wife Jacinta on the February 24 hearing; however, she was skipped as she was confined in Veterans Memorial Medical Center. Her brother, Edgardo Yambao, was also summoned but invoke his right against self-incrimination when asked about his wealth. On the March 21, hearing, Erlinda showed up but just like her husband and her brother, she refused to answer questions that were related to her husband's pending cases, invoking her right against self-incrimination. The Ligots did not appear in the March 25 hearing and was cited for contempt
Contempt of Congress
Contempt of Congress is the act of obstructing the work of the United States Congress or one of its committees. Historically the bribery of a senator or representative was considered contempt of Congress...
; Jacinto was detained at the Senate while Erlinda's detention was suspended for humanitarian reasons. On the March 29 hearing, Erlinda cited "Dara" (Kapampangan
Kapampangan language
The Pampangan language, or Kapampangan , is one of the major languages of the Philippines. It is the language spoken in the province of Pampanga, the southern half of the province of Tarlac and the northern portion of the province of Bataan. Kapampangan is also understood in some barangays of...
word to denote "aunt") as her frequent travel companion in her overseas trips; Senator Jinggoy Estrada
Jinggoy Estrada
Jose Pimentel Ejercito, Jr. , better known as Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada, is a Filipino politician and former film actor who has been a member of the Senate of the Philippines since 2004...
had earlier said that she had traveled with Reyes' wife Teresita. Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Teofisto Guingona III
Teofisto Guingona III
Teofisto de Lara Guingona III or TG, is a Filipino politician.-Representative of 2nd District, Bukidnon:In 2004, he has been elected to two terms in the House of Representatives of the Philippines, as the Representative from the Second District of Bukidnon...
ordered the release of General Ligot after the hearing.
Postponement of the ARMM general election
On February 3, 2011, President Aquino asked Congress to postpone the general election in the Autonomous Region in Muslim MindanaoAutonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is the region, located in the Mindanao island group of the Philippines, that is composed of predominantly Muslim provinces, namely: Basilan , Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. It is the only region that has its own government...
(ARMM) and synchronize it with the 2013 mid-term election
Philippine general election, 2013
Legislative elections and local elections will be held on May 13, 2013. The duly elected legislators of the 2013 elections will join the elected senators of the 2010 elections and will comprise the 16th Congress of the Philippines...
. The officials that would end their terms on 2011 would be replaced by appointments by Aquino. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said that aside from ensuring clean elections, a synchronized ARMM election would be cost-effective. On March 22, the House of Representatives passed the bill before Congress went on recess, while the Senate would take up the measure after the recess. On May 3, the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the Philippines
The Supreme Court of the Philippines is the Philippines' highest judicial court, as well as the court of last resort. The court consists of 14 Associate Justices and 1 Chief Justice...
ordered the executive and Congress to file comments on a petition from ARMM residents questioning the postponement.
Reproductive Health bill
On November 24, 2010, the House of Representatives population committee acted on the bills about reproductive health. However, Cebu representative Pablo GarciaPablo Garcia
Pablo García may refer to:* Pablo Gabriel García , Uruguayan footballer* Pablo García , Spanish guitarist and member of the band WarCry* Pablo P...
disputed the committee's jurisdiction on the bills, saying it should have been referred to the Committee on Health. Committee chairman Rogelio Espina reasoned out that no one objected when the bills were referred to his committee. On January 31, 2011, the committee unanimously approved a consolidated version; the approval meant that for the first time after similar bills were created in 1998, that a reproductive health bill would be tackled in plenary session. On February 16, the House of Representatives appropriations committee approved funding for bill, with the Department of Health
Department of Health (Philippines)
The Philippines’ Department of Health is the principal health agency in the Philippines. It is the executive department of the Philippine Government responsible for ensuring access to basic public health services to all Filipinos through the provision of quality health care and the regulation of...
and the Population Commission receiving additional budgets.
The measure would have been tackled in plenary session on March 8, but questions on quorum
Quorum
A quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly necessary to conduct the business of that group...
and proper attire delayed the proceedings. The authors of the bill agreed to amend some provisions, such as making sex education
Sex education
Sex education refers to formal programs of instruction on a wide range of issues relating to human sexuality, including human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and...
optional, removal of an "ideal family size" of two children, removal of the provision that orders business to provide reproductive health services to their employees, among others. Primary author Edcel Lagman
Edcel Lagman
Edcel Lagman is a Filipino politician from the province of Albay and a prominent supporter of the Reproductive Health Bill .-Political life:...
said that this would not water down the bill, as the "central idea" of the bill was not touched.
External links
- COMELEC Resolution 8670. Accessed on December 10, 2009.
- COMELEC Resolution 8701. Accessed on December 10, 2009.
- COMELEC Resolution 8705. Accessed on December 10, 2009.