THE PHILIPPINE STAR

t
netps .$ rqoxDAY I AUGUST 5, 2019

House to go paperless soon

By EDU PUNAY
The Hguse of Representatives will go
paperless undeg*the Brgggped amend-
ments in its ruleiran official announced
yes(erday.
Deputy Majority Leader Crispin Re-
mulla, who heads the House rules re-
writing sub-cornmittee, said the new
rules would make their legislative work
paperless by providing tablets to 300
I
He said they would propose a rule re-
quiring only orte committee hearingto re-
fine any. vetoed bi}} that aims to expedite
the proces-s and convince the President to
sign the measure into law.
"We gre,'go!5rg,,fo avoid the normal
long process of legislation for any vetoed
bill. An expeditious proc€ss should be
observed after the refinements,", he ex- :'
plained.
Remulla added the new rules would

lawmakers. also include the Supreme Court ruting in

Apart from digitizing the legislative choosing the next minority leader where
process and contributing to pro-environ- Flouse'members:who did not vote forthe
ment measures, Remulla explained that winning speaker and those who abstain
the proposed policy could also help the will choose amcing themselves their leader
House save funds. and manifest this in the plenary.
The Cavite rep?esentative pointed out He said the amendments could be
that anestimated P6 million oi pZO,OO0 for passed inDecember after passing the 2020
an android tablet per congressman could national budget as he vowed to make the
be spent for the proposal, which is lower new rules more responsive to the legisla-
than the amount spent on paper. tive process.
"The House has been spending an es- Remulla's panel was designated by
timated P9 million every year for paper. House majority leader and committee
'Going paperless will result in saviflgs," on rules chairman Martin Romualdez to
he said. come up with the proposed new rules for
Remulla said the new rules would the L8th Congress.
expedite the process in re-passing bills On ]uly fi., the House adopted pro-
vetoed by the President and returned to visionally the rules of the previous Con-
Congress. gress.

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