House adopts resolution to establish eCongress

The House of Representatives on Tuesday adopted House Concurrent Resolution No. 10 to establish “eCongress” which maintains an integrated and secure digital legislative management system for Congress to improve services to the public.

The measure stated that a bicameral Congress “requires close and constant collaboration, coordination, communication, and sharing of knowledge resources and information by and between both chambers.”

“The Senate and the House of Representatives are cognizant of the need to continuously improve, strengthen and streamline communications between Houses to enable them, singly and jointly, to efficiently and effectively perform Congress’ essential functions of representation, legislation and oversight,” it stated.

The resolution said the advances in technology and greater connectivity present opportunities needed for both houses.

It said that this will update their “intra- and inter-chamber processes” by adopting and using secure digital systems and infrastructure and online platforms to further strengthen coordination and facilitate citizen engagement in the legislative process.

“To enhance digital collaboration, communication and connectivity between both houses, and to improve their services to the people, the Senate and the House of Representatives agree and commit to undertake concerted efforts in the development of an updated digital, integrated and secure legislative management system,” the resolution read.

“Such a system could provide timely, more effective and responsive ways of managing, monitoring and reporting the legislative performance of Congress,” it added.

It stated that the future funding requirements would be included in the annual national budget.

Meanwhile, the amount needed for the setting up and maintaining the proposed “e-Congress” would be charged against current appropriations of the House and Senate.

It added that both Senate secretary and the House secretary general would be authorized to jointly oversee and administer the proposed “eCongress” and to form a joint technical working group from members of the secretariats of the two chambers.

Among the authors of the resolution are Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, Senior Deputy Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Representative Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan, and Tingog party-list representatives Yedda Marie Romualdez and Jude Acidre.—LDF, GMA Integrated News