✅ During the roll call, out of 80 Members of the Parliament, 49 were present in the plenary hall while 11 attended via video teleconferencing.
Adopted as simple resolution the 6 items in the order of business to be tackled as business of the day.
✅ Deliberation of the committee report No. 24 on the Approval of Amended BTA Parliamentary Rules, Procedures and Practices and Amended of Calendar of Activities for BTA.
✅ Mr. Speaker Balindong proposed an amendments on the Proposed RESOLUTION APPROVING THE ENHANCEMENT MADE BY THE COMMITTEE ON RULES ON THE PARLIAMENTARY RULES, PROCEDURES, AND PRACTICES OF THE BANGSAMORO TRANSITION AUTHORITY OF THE BANGSAMORO AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO (BARMM)” and RESOLUTION ADOPTING A NEW CALENDAR OF SESSION FOR THE FIRST REGULAR SESSION OF THE BANGSAMORO TRANSITION AUTHORITY PARLIAMENT, REPEALING FOR THE PURPOSE THE BTA RESOLUTION NO. 22”
✅ The Committee on Rules are considering the amendments stated hereunder, to wit:
- In Rule IV, Section 4, additional duties and functions of the Speaker to read as follows:
Conduct regular monthly caucus of all members of the parliament or as often as may be necessary to discuss priority measures and to facilitate dialogue, consensus and actions on issues and concerns affecting the Parliament and the performance of its functions.
Exercise general supervision over all committees and, in furtherance thereof, conduct regular monthly meetings with the chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of all statutory and parliamentary committees to set legislative targets, review performance in the attainment of targets, ensure that the priority legislative measures of committees are attuned to the legislative agenda of the Parliament and resolve such issues and concerns that affect the operations and performance of the committees.
Designate a Member of the Parliament as temporary presiding officer after informing the Deputy Speaker; Provided, that any such designation shall be effective for one session day only;
Sign all acts, resolutions, and bills that may be issued by or upon order of the Parliament;
- The powers of the Speaker enumerated under the Rules are very general and it sometimes led to the encroachment of powers. To avoid such, the powers of the speaker should be specific and well defined.
- In Rule V, Section 1, additional duties of the Secretary-General to read as follows:
The Secretary General shall, every start of the session, have an updated printed status report on actions taken on resolutions and bills passed upon by the Parliament that must be available upon request by any Member of the Parliament. The status report must show, among others, the dates when the resolutions have been officially received by the concerned parties, as well as dates of publication of bills.
The Secretary General shall assist the Majority Floor Leader in maintaining the list if interpellators which shall serve as guide during the interpellation period on a particular bill or resolution.
- Rule VI, Section 5 shall be amended as follows:
Section 5. Convening the BTA. – The BTA shall convene its regular session once every year on the second Tuesday of Eid’l Fitr and not later than thirty (30) days before the opening of the next regular session. At the beginning of its regular session, the Chief Minister presents before the BTA the policies and programs of the Government of the Day.
- Rule VII, Section 3 on Statutory Committees, the numbers of membership of the following committees from seventeen (17) members shall be amended as follows:
Committee on Basic, Higher and Technical Education: 31 members.
Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Energy: 27 members
Committee on Local Government: 29 members
Committee on Public Works and Highways: 31 members
- In the last paragraph of Rule VII, Section 3 the whole paragraph shall be amended as follows:
Members of the BTA may sit in any of the committees provided that the maximum number of committees they shall be part of shall not exceed four (4). Provided, further, that the Minority shall be represented in all committees.
- In Rule VII, Section 4, the number of membership of Committee on Rules shall be amended from 25 to 29.
- In Rule VII, Section 5 shall be amended as follows:
Section 5. Officers of the Committees. – Except for the Committee on Rules, each Committee shall elect a Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons from among its Members. Provided, that one of the Vice Chairpersons shall come from the Minority. The Chairperson and, in his/her absence, the vice-chairperson designated by the chairperson shall preside over the committee meetings and hearings.
In the election of the Vice Chairpersons, the Vice Chairperson coming from the Minority shall be nominated by the Minority. As to the other Vice Chairpersons, they shall be nominated by the members of the Committee as a whole.
- Rule VII, Section 20 shall be amended to delete the word investigation and change to legislation which read as follows:
Section 20. Power of Committee to Initiate Legislation or Resolution. – Each Committee has the power to initiate legislation by drafting a bill or resolution and introducing it in the plenary session of the BTA. This is called the Committee bill or resolution which shall be steered by the whole Members of the concerned committee for approval by the BTA.
- Rule VII, Section 10 shall be amended to read as follows:
Section 10. Sub-Committee. – Each committee may create and organize a sub-committee to deal on specific issues on the basis of proportional representation of the Majority and the Minority, as may be efficient and effective in the performance of its Members. It shall also define and determine the Membership and general jurisdiction of each sub-committee or special committee.
The subcommittee shall elect a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson from among its members, and it shall also be provided by its own secretariat. The subcommittee Chairperson, and in his/her absence, the subcommittee Vice Chairperson shall preside over the subcommittee meetings and hearings.
- Rule XII, Section 2 (a) on Cabinet bill, change the word Proposed to Priority to read as follows:
Cabinet Bill. – Cabinet bill is a priority measure submitted by the Chief Minister and the Cabinet Ministers, on their own initiatives, to the BTA for consideration to pass a new law or amend or revise an existing law.
- In the last part Rule XII, Section 2, insert the separate sentence:
Cabinet bills shall have precedence over private member bills without prejudice to the consolidation.
- In the definition of Simple Resolution in Rule XII Section 5, insert the phrase, urgent resolution requiring immediate action by the BTA, to read as follows:
Simple Resolution – A simple resolution is a measure used by the BTA to take action affecting its own procedures, urgent resolution requiring immediate action by the BTA, or to express an opinion, sympathy or commendation.
- In Rule XIII Section 4, shall be amended as follows:
Section 4. Conduct of Sessions. – The BTA shall hold plenary sessions every Tuesday to Thursday for the third and fourth week of the Month that the BTA is not in recess. The Speaker shall open, conduct, and close the sessions.
- In Rule XIX, Section 2 shall add this paragraph,
Written questions shall be submitted to the Secretary-General at least one day before the Question Hour. Questions of an urgent nature or those relating to current issues shall be given priority. The Written Questions shall be read by the Secretary-General in the plenary session upon order of the Speaker.
- Rule XXI, Section 2 on First Stage shall be amended as follows,
The First Stage. – During the first stage, a bill is introduced in the BTA. The Speaker directs the Secretary-General to read the bill’s number, title and author.
At this stage, the Speaker shall recognize the author of the bill to declare in the plenary session whether the bill is a cabinet bill or a private member bill.
If the bill is a private Member bill, the author may propose the inclusion of additional authors by making the appropriate request to the Secretary-General.
- Rule XXI, Section 2 on Second Stage shall be amended as follows,
Second Stage. – During the second stage, the proponent of the bill will deliver his/her sponsorship speech containing the general principles, outline, objectives and purposes of his/her bill. Thereafter, the bill shall be referred to the appropriate committee.
- In Rule XXII, Section 3 shall be amended as follows:
Section 3. List of Interpellators. – The Majority Floor Leader shall maintain a list of Interpellators that serves as the guide in the order to be recognized in the discussion of the measure under consideration. Unless interrupted by procedural motions, the session proceeds with the list. In order to be registered in the list of Interpellators, a Member shall register in writing to the Secretary-General which list shall be submitted to the Majority Floor Leader for the recognition of the interpellator.
✅ The proposed resolution of Mr. Speaker Balindong was adopted.
✅ MPs proposed not to use automatic chairmanship in the statutory committee. It should be selected or decided by the members of parliament to avoid conflict of interest. (e.g. Minister Iqbal should not be the Chairman of the Education committee since his ministry is drafting the Education Code.)
✅ adopted the Proposed Resolution No. 223, entitled: RESOLUTION COMMENDING ALL FRONTLINERS IN THE BANGSAMORO REGION FOR THEIR ALTRUISTIC SERVICES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST COVIDS-19.
✅ Other resolution in the order of business will be tackled tomorrow.
✅ The BTA session adjourned at around 4:30 in the afternoon.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]
