(Eagle News) — Newly-installed Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said she intends to ratify the Bangsamoro Organic Law on Tuesday, July 24.
Speaking to reporters at the Batasang Pambansa a day after she was installed as Speaker, Arroyo said the ratification of the BOL, which was delayed over the events in the House of Representatives that led to the ouster of Pantaleon Alvarez, “must” push through as part of her “primary specific objective to carry out the legislative agenda of (President Rodrigo Duterte).”
Rep. Rolando Andaya, Arroyo’s budget secretary when she was president, said she was shouting the BOL needed to be ratified soon after she was elected as Speaker, as seen in footage where she was mouthing something over a microphone that had been apparently turned off.
“But she’s just a small woman and her voice is small,” Andaya said.
According to Arroyo, aside from carrying out that legislative agenda, “it is a Speaker’s job I think to help congressmen be able to assist their constituents especially when most needed.”
She noted that on Monday, they identified “about nine districts” badly hit by the typhoon.
“The sooner we have an end to politicking, we can attend to the calamities..,” she said.
Transition committee
Rep. Danilo Suarez told reporters there are backroom arrangements for a peaceful transition in the Lower Chamber.
Andaya said in a television interview that a “transition committee” was set up, composed of himself, Reps. Miro Quimbo, Arthur Yap, Fredenil Castro and Suarez.
Suarez said “at least half” of the committee chairmanships would be changed, but Andaya denied this.
“We plan to make a formal reorganization of the House. The thrust would be more on a status quo, keeping the members in place,” he said.