Even as Congress goes on a one-month recess, it is business as usual at all Senate regular standing, oversight and special committees.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri filed a resolution authorizing all committees of the Senate “to conduct hearings, meetings and consultations during every recess of the Senate to have a continuity in the process of passing pending proposed legislations.”
“The resolution was passed to have a continuity in the process of passing pending proposed legislations.”
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon clarified that all standing committees, except for the Blue Ribbon Commitee, could not conduct hearings on a resolution which is not read in the plenary and referred to a committee. The Blue Ribbon Committee could hold hearings motu propio even if a resolution is not yet filed.
The Senate adopted the resolution before its adjournment Wednesday.
Senate Resolution 154 authorized the committees to conduct investigations “on issues of national interests to aid in crafting relevant legislation.”
In this relation, the resolution stated that the committees are authorized to issue subpeona or subpoena duces tecum “to any person, corporation entity or its officers to testify and/or produce such documents which may be needed in the meetings, hearings or consultations of the committees.”
“Resolved, furthermore, to encourage committees to immediately file committee reports based on the outcome of its studies, hearings or investigations to the Senate in its regular and special sessions, and to regard all pending measures with utmost urgency for the consideration of its immediate passage by the Senate,” the resolution stated.
The Senate Finance Committee would be busy conducting hearings on the proposed P4.1-trillion national budget.
The Senate Finance Committee would be busy conducting hearings on the proposed P4.1 trillion National Expenditure Program for 2020.
Several committees have also scheduled technical working group meetings, the committee secretariat said.
Sessions of the First Regular Session of the 18th Congress will resume on November 4, 2019.