Senior Deputy Majority Leader Arthur Defensor said a caucus of the House majority coalition is expected to be called by Speaker Jose de Venecia to plan out the legislative strategy that would pave the way for the swift approval of vital measures before the Christmas break.
Defensor admitted that quorum will be the biggest stumbling block in realizing their goal.
Aside from finalizing the legislative priority list, the caucus will make a final decision on the proposed reorganization in the chamber and determine what action the House leadership should take to fight off a quorum crisis.
Rep. Ace Barbers (Lakas, Surigao del Norte), chairman of the House Committee on Accounts, is batting for the approval of his proposal to publish the congressional attendance report in order to encourage solons to attend legislative sessions.
Plagued by lack of quorum last month, the Committee on Appropriations failed to complete the scheduled public hearings on the proposed national allocation, thus, delaying the budget process.
De Venecia, in a statement, aired confidence that both the budget bill and the Charter change proposal would be approved by the Lower House on time.
Defensor said that being eyed for plenary debates are the proposed anti-terrorism bill, Charter change resolution, creation of the Omnibus Housing and Urban Development Act, proposed extension of the Special Purpose Assets Vahicle measure and budget bill.
"Unless Malacañang certifies the proposed R125 legislated wage hike, I do not think it will be taken up immediately. But I do not believe the proposed rate would be acceptable if ever it is discussed on the floor," Defensor added.
Senior Deputy Minority Leader Rolex Suplico warned that a revamp of committee chairmanship would give a chance for De Venecia critics in the ruling coalition to unseat him.
Suplico said that either today or tomorrow, the session will start by disposing the motion to declare all seats vacant as aired by Zamboanga del Sur Rep. Antonio Ceniles during the last session.
The motion, Suplico explained, would pave the way for supporters of Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay to pursue his bid to challenge De Venecia’s leadership.
Allies of De Venecia said any attempt to unseat the Speaker will not succeed because the House leader still enjoys the confidence of at least 90 percent of all House members, including the minority bloc."
At least 11 top posts, including that of Deputy Speaker Benigno Aquino II (LP, Tarlac), are expected to be declared vacant.
Defensor, however, revealed that rather than carry out the revamp, many House members believe that the chamber should attend to the passage of vital measures such as the anti-terrorism bill and the Charter revision proposal.
"Many are also supportive of the legislated wage hike but a R125 hike could be too high that it could threaten the closure of many businesses. There would be a lot of haggling if the majority coalition decides to take it up on the floor," he said.
