Senate panels to discuss trimming bureaucracy, new gov't agencies at same time

Committees of the Senate will discuss simultaneously a bill seeking to trim the bureaucracy and those creating new government agencies, measures that appear contradictory.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said that the decision was reached after a Senate Committee on Rules meeting he presided on Monday.

“We came to the conclusion that the bills may be taken up by their respective committees simultaneously. Once the respective committee reports are filed, an all-member caucus will then be called to discuss their prioritization in the legislative calendar for plenary discussion,” Zubiri said.

“The issues at hand are still at the committee level. At the very least, we cannot determine yet if the committee reports to be filed will be conflicting. We cannot prematurely prevent or control a committee in transacting their affairs,” he added.

Included in the list of pending bills are Rightsizing Bill as well as the proposed Department of Overseas Filipinos, the Department of Disaster Resilience and Management, the Department of Culture, and the Department of Water Management.

The Senate Committee on the Whole meeting was sought by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon in December.

Drilon said the pending measures would run in conflict with in one another since one measure seeks to trim excess fat in government operations while other bills aimed to expand the government workforce.

“The Senate works through a committee system. By practice and tradition, we have long given committees their sole prerogative and discretions regarding matters referred to them,” Zubiri said.

“As to the prioritization of legislative agenda to be tackled on the floor, it is a matter of policy not explicitly laid down in our rules. Prioritization of legislative agenda is incumbent upon the collective wisdom and discretion of the chamber and its members,” he added.

Senator Joel Villanueva, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor handling the bills on the proposed Department of OFWs, welcomed the move.

“We will resume the committee hearings into the overseas Filipino department bills. The pandemic has exposed the weakness of our policies on OFWs, particularly our reintegration program to help them transition back to the local labor force,” Villanueva said.

“We support the principles of rightsizing, especially because we have been raising the issue of unfilled positions and contractuals in government for the longest time. We will do our best to tackle all issues and hear all sides being raised in this particular measure. Who knows, this could be a model for rightsizing done right,” he added.

Villanueva said he would look at how the proposed department would improve the delivery of frontline services to OFWs such as distress and repatriation efforts, among others; upgrading their  skills and re-skilling program; strengthening the drive against illegal recruitment, and creating a comprehensive reintegration program to help transition OFWs back into the local labor force. -NB, GMA News