Senate suspends next week’s sessions for SEA Games, bicam

“Since we have 15 members in the bicam, I don’t think we’ll be able to achieve a quorum in the plenary,” Zubiri noted. (File Photo: Senator Migz Zubiri/Facebook)

MANILA — The Senate has decided to suspend its sessions next week in view of the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and the Bicameral Conference Committee deliberations on the proposed PHP4.1-trillion 2020 budget.

In explaining the week-long work suspension, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said Senate work is automatically suspended Monday due to the celebration of the Foundation Day of Pasay City, where the Philippine Senate is located.

Road closures and re-routing around the Senate due to SEA Games activities at the World Trade Center and the Philippine International Convention Center, among others, would make it difficult for Senate staff to report for work.

Aside from the SEA Games, the Senate leader said the Bicameral Conference Committee hearings to reconcile the Senate and House version of the national budget bill will start from November 29 until the first week of December.

“Since we have 15 members in the bicam, I don’t think we’ll be able to achieve a quorum in the plenary,” Zubiri noted.

“Kaya nag decide ‘yung leadership (So the leadership decided) that we just adjourn until the 9th (of December),” he added.

The Senate contingent to the bicam will be led by Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, the chair of the Senate Committee on Finance.

The other members of the panel are Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, as well as Senators Panfilo Lacson, Cynthia Villar, Pia Cayetano, Sherwin Gatchalian, Christopher “Bong” Go, Richard Gordon, Imee Marcos, Joel Villanueva, Risa Hontiveros, Nancy Binay, Grace Poe and Francis Pangilinan.

The Bicameral Conference Committee meetings will be held at the McKinley Room at the Manila Polo Club in Makati City.