Council changes session schedule

CEBU, Philippines —  The Sangguniang Panlungsod has agreed to move its regular session that is conducted every Tuesdays and changed it to every Wednesdays.

This is due to the number of public hearings for all proposed measures that is also conducted during the regular sessions.

Recently an average of three ordinances are discussed in every public hearing portion of the session which leaves the legislators little time for the other items in the agenda to be tackled.

In the regular sessions, a Citizen’s Hour is also held to give the floor to the city’s constituents to raise their concerns on matters of public interest before the City Council.

The Sangguniang Panlungsod, which consists of Vice Mayor Michael Rama as the chairman and the City Councilors as members, has requested to schedule the regular session and public hearing on separate days.

In the memorandum agreed by all the members, the regular sessions and public hearings will be conducted on separate days.

“There was unanimity among the members of the council to move the schedule of our regular session to Wednesday.  For me it doesn’t matter what day it is,” Councilor Alvin Dizon said.

All public hearings for the proposed ordinances will be conducted on Tuesdays.

Regular sessions will be on Wednesdays at 2 p.m., while the Citizen’s Hour of the same day is scheduled at 1 p.m.

The Sangguniang conducts at least four sessions every month.  GAN (FREEMAN)