House orders performance audit of committees

MANILA, Philippines – In an effort to discover which House committees are "working hard" and "hardly working," House Speaker Prospero Nograles has ordered a performance audit on all 80 standing and special committees. In a statement released Thursday, the Davao City Rep. said he ordered on Wednesday deputy speakers Camarines Sur Rep. Arnulfo Fuentebella, Ilocos Sur Rep. Eric Singson, Occidental Mindoro Rep. Amelita Villarosa, Cebu Rep. Raul Del Mar, Maguindanao Rep Simeon Datumanong, and Cebu Rep. Pablo Garcia to require the committees assigned in their clusters to submit the reports of their performances in tackling assigned House bills. Nograles said that if some committees are not performing as expected, these may be re-organized or even abolished and absorbed by other committees. "A revamp or re-organization is the last option. I will base my decision on the recommendations of our Deputy Speakers but certainly, we have to make sure that each of the standing and special committees are performing based on our work targets," he said. Fuentebella is head of the Economic 1 cluster which handles the following committees: banks and Financial Intermediaries, Economic Affairs, Energy, Government Enterprises and Privatization, Information and Communications Technology, Public Works and Highways, Small Business and Entrepreneurship Development, Trade and Industry, Transportation, Special Committee on Bicol Recovery and Economic Development, Special committee on Globalization and WTO and Special Committee on North Luzon Growth Quadrangle and Special Committee on Southern Tagalog Development. Singson is the head of the Economic 2 cluster in charge of the following committees: Agrarian Reform, Agriculture and Food, Aquaculture and Fisheries, Cooperatives Development, Ecology, Metro Manila Development, Natural Resources, Rural Development, Science and Technology, Tourism, Special Committee on Food Security, Special Committee on Land Use and Special Committee on Reforestation. Villarosa is head of the Social Services cluster composed of the following committees: Basic Education and Culture, Health, Higher and Technical Education, Housing and Urban Development, Labor and Employment, Overseas Workers Affairs, Population and Family, Poverty Alleviation, Social Services, Welfare of Children,Women and Gender Equality and Youth and Sports Development. Del Mar is head of the Governance cluster composed of the following committees: Civil Service and Professional Regulation, Foreign Affairs,Inter-Parliamentary Relations and Diplomacy,Legislative Franchises, Local Government, National Defense and Security, Public Information, Public Order and Safety and Veterans Affairs and Welfare. Datumanong handles the Legal/Political 1 cluster composed of the following committees: Dangerous Drugs, Games and Amusement, Ethics and Privileges, Good Government, Human Rights, Justice, Mindanao Affairs, Muslim Affairs, Oversight and Suffrage and Electoral Reforms. Garcia, meanwhile, handles Legal/Political 2 cluster which handles the following committees: Constitutional Amendments, Government Reorganization, National Cultural Communities, People's Participation, Revision of Laws, Special Committee on Bases Conversion, Special Committee on East ASEAN Growth Area, Special Committee on Millennium Development Goals and Special Committee on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity. All committees are expected to conduct deliberations and ensure the swift passage of relevant measures according to the timelines set, said Nograles, adding that bills certified as urgent by Malacanang and those listed in the House priority list must be given foremost attention. - Johanna Camille Sisante, GMANews.TV