Perfect attendance for 68 congressmen

MANILA, Philippines - Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. led 68 lawmakers who posted perfect attendance since the start of the first regular session of the 16th Congress in July last year.

Records show the House of Representatives had a total of 69 session days. The first regular session adjourned last June 13 and the second regular session is scheduled to start on July 28.

The House has 290 members.

Those who posted perfect attendance along with Belmonte were Representatives Rodolfo Albano III, Isagani Amatong, Rommel Amatong, Sergio Apostol, George Arnaiz, Diosdado Arroyo, Lito Atienza, Jorge Banal, Elpidio Barzaga, Leopoldo Bataoil, Silvestre Bello III, Jose Christopher Belmonte, Juan Pablo Bondoc, Winston Castelo, Lino Cayetano, Joaquin Chipeco, Enrique Cojuangco, Raul del Mar, Jonathan de la Cruz, Cheryl Montalla, Rodolfo Fariñas, Salvio Fortuno, Gwendolyn Garcia, Neptali Gonzales, Agapito Guanlao, Magtanggol Gunigundo, Rosendo Labadlabad, Monique Lagdameo, Roy Loyola, Eleandro Madrona, Victoria Noel, Carlos Padilla, Marlyn Primicias Agabas, Romero Quimbo, Terry Ridon, Oscar Rodriguez, Rufus Rodriguez, Mel Senen Sarmiento, Estrelita Suansing, Gustavo Tambunting, Marcelino Teodoro, Tobias Tiangco, Alfredo Vargas, Linabelle Villarica and Jose Zubiri. The House attendance records made a distinction between “deemed present,” and “actually present,” and had a sub-column labeled “constituency work,” under the “absence” column. Among the lawmakers who registered the most absences were Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao, Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Negros Occidental Rep. Julio Ledesma IV.

Pacquiao, who has various boxing commitments, attended only 38 plenary sessions. Arroyo was recorded as having attended 22 plenary sessions while under detention at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City.

The Office of the Secretary-General prepared the list but could not be reached for comment.