House organizes 21 of 75 committees

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives moved a little bit faster in its second week of work this week by organizing 11 more committees.

That number, however, is just one more than the 10 panels the leadership of Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano has gotten ready to function on its first week last week, by naming their chairmen and some members.

Cayetano has now organized 21 of his chamber’s 60 standing committees and 15 special panels.

House sources told reporters yesterday that the Speaker personally chooses the heads of committees.

Named committee chairpersons on Wednesday night were Rosanna Vergara of Nueva Ecija, ethics; Florida Robes of San Jose City in Bulacan, people’s participation; Cheryl Montalla of Zambales, revision of laws; and Angelita Tan of Quezon, health.

Also designated committee chairmen were Wes Gatchalian, trade and industry; Noel Villanueva of Tarlac, local government; Manuel Lopez of Manila, Metro Manila development; Roman Romulo of Pasig City, basic education and culture; Eric Yap of ACT-CIS, games and amusement; Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte, Mindanao affairs; and Victor Yap also of Tarlac, communications technology.

Of the appointees, Yap of party-list group ACT-CIS is the only neophyte House member to head a committee. Deputy speaker Davao City Rep. Paulo Duterte reportedly recommended him to Cayetano, who had to clear the appointment with the bosses of National Unity Party (NUP), to which the games panel was allocated.

NUP is composed of former members of Lakas, the ruling party during the Arroyo administration.

Duterte is set to formally join the NUP on Tuesday.

Yap’s two other colleagues in ACT-CIS, Rowena Taduran and Jocelyn Tulfo, were named members of his committee. The three have allied themselves with NUP, while maintaining their membership in the Party-list Coalition headed by Mikee Romero of 1-Pacman.

The Romero group has won several important House and committee posts, including two deputy speakerships held by Rolande Marcoleta of Sagip and Conrad Estrella lll of Abono. 

A third deputy speaker post, given to Eduardo Villanueva of Cibac, is reportedly a commitment of Cayetano to his former Senate colleague, Sen. Joel Villanueva.

Romero has so far declined any House or committee assignment. He said he would first work on having the House leadership fulfill its promise to allot 20 percent of positions to party-list representatives. 

With 54 members, the Party-list Coalition is the second largest political group in the House after the ruling PDP-Laban.