The 'republic of investigations'

In their individual self-assessment or "report card" of sorts, the respective top leaders of the 19th Congress credited themselves with so much legislative accomplishments.

- MARICHU A. VILLANUEVA

Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero and Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez came just short of giving themselves a grade of "O," as in outstanding outputs. But the work in Congress is the collective effort of all members in both chambers.

So no one on his own can claim the work done in the crafting of any one measure approved into law in Congress. Surely though, the Senate chief and the Speaker deserve to get a pat on the back for steering their respective chambers to set the legislative agenda they agreed to pursue.

In the Upper Chamber, there is what they call the 24 "independent republics," referring to the 24 senators. As of last count, the number of the House of Representatives stood at 307. Of this total, 55 are party-list representatives that were elected nationally, unlike the regular congressmen and congresswomen who get elected in their individual congressional districts. The House grew bigger with the additional congressional districts created by gerrymandering laws the present and past Congresses approved.

To their credit, Escudero and Romualdez carried out the tasks in shepherding the priority bills of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (PBBM). Most especially, the priority bills that were identified and chosen as the common legislative agenda (CLA) by both Malacañang and Congress.

The CLA is reached at the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) that the President convenes, with the key leaders of Congress and select Cabinet members in attendance. Created by law, the LEDAC serves as a consensus-building mechanism through which the two co-equal bodies can discuss the CLA as priority measures. But under its mandate, the LEDAC does not bind either Malacañang or Congress to the CLA, precisely because it is just an "advisory" body.