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House, Senate launch eCongress for ‘people-centered’ legislature

By Wilnard Bacelonia and Jose Cielito Reganit

March 9, 2023, 4:25 pm Updated on March 9, 2023, 4:26 pm

<p>eCONGRESS. Leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate launch eCongress, an integrated digital legislative management system that will encourage citizen participation in lawmaking, at the National Museum in the City of Manila on Thursday (March 9, 2023). (L-R) Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, Senate pro-Tempore Loren Legarda, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senior Deputy House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, House Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe, Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito, Congressmen Toby Tianco and Joboy Aquino attended the launching of www.econgress.gov.ph. <em>(Screenshot from Senate Webex meeting)</em></p>

eCONGRESS. Leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate launch eCongress, an integrated digital legislative management system that will encourage citizen participation in lawmaking, at the National Museum in the City of Manila on Thursday (March 9, 2023). (L-R) Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, Senate pro-Tempore Loren Legarda, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senior Deputy House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, House Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe, Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito, Congressmen Toby Tianco and Joboy Aquino attended the launching of www.econgress.gov.ph. (Screenshot from Senate Webex meeting)

MANILA – The House of Representatives and the Senate of the Philippines on Thursday launched eCongress, an integrated digital legislative management system that will encourage citizen participation in lawmaking.

The eCongress was established through Concurrent Resolution No. 6 signed by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who was represented by Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, during the ceremonies at the National Museum of Fine Arts in Manila.

The event also saw the ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the two chambers on the specific actions to be taken to set up the eCongress.

The MOA was signed by House Secretary General Reginald Velasco and Senate Secretary Renato Bantug Jr.

In his message delivered by former President Arroyo, Romualdez noted that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. had brought up the need to digitize, harmonize and share government records across departments and agencies during his first State of the Nation Address in July last year.

“In response to this call, the House of Representatives, along with the Senate, now jointly establish and maintain an integrated and secure digital legislative management system for the Congress of the Philippines,” he said.

He said eCongress represents the “synergy” between the Senate and the House in their common aspiration to digitize their processes, services and records, and share information.

He also noted that such an effective communications system not only amplifies the capacity of government organizations, ensures greater transparency and deters corruption but also serves as a mechanism for public information to promote citizen engagement in policy-making.

“eCongress will also provide updates on the status of bills, and resolutions and report legislative undertakings to inform the public and encourage citizen participation,” Romualdez said. “It is our vision to make eCongress a key contributor in modernizing our core legislative processes towards a people-centered legislative governance and in enhancing our adherence to the democratic principles of transparency, accountability and responsiveness.”

Constant collaboration

He added that challenges and uncertainties brought about by the pandemic, natural disasters and external shocks only highlighted the role of Congress in making relevant, responsive and timely legislation to meet the administration’s targets and “to raise the quality of public service, particularly lawmaking, representation and oversight functions of the legislative branch of government.”

“We have to ensure that our laws consistently reflect our values, principles and aspirations as Filipinos,” he said. “To carry out this crucial role, it is imperative that both houses of Congress exercise constant collaboration, coordination, and sharing of information towards people-centered legislative governance.”

Romualdez said the eCongress would use information and communications technology and other digital means of facilitating the delivery of services.

To ensure the success of the project, he said there would be continuous capacity building to enhance the digital skills of lawmakers, legislative staff and other stakeholders.

Meanwhile, House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe said the launching of e-Congress marks the beginning of the great leap towards synchronization and integration of the House and the Senate.

“While we are separate chambers, both the Senate and House will always be one with our people in the pursuit of a better life. This program presents greater opportunities for the two houses to update their intra- and inter-chamber processes by adopting and using secure digital systems and infrastructure and online platforms,” he said in his speech.

“Our eCongress system and our eCongress web portal will not only allow us to work better and faster, but will also give the public better access to what we really do as legislators. This is our most potent anti-fake news tool as we endeavor to fight the many misconceptions about the members of Congress,” Dalipe added.

He said eCongress would also strengthen coordination and facilitate citizen engagement in the legislative process, and pave the way for the creation of a fully-functional Congressional e-library.

“We are committed, the Philippine Congress is committed, to answer the challenge of the rapidly increasing demand to keep up with technology through our e-Congress system,” Dalipe said.

Strengthen partnership

Calling it a landmark initiative, Zubiri said the eCongress will strengthen the partnership between both chambers.

“If the pandemic taught us anything my dear friends, is that we can and must take advantage of digital technologies to make our respective legislative proceedings much easier and much more efficient. That meant among other things holding virtual and eventually hybrid sessions and hearings," Zubiri said in his speech.

"We learned that we cannot afford to be resistant to new ways of working, not if we want to continue fulfilling our mandate to the people. We, of course, hold our proud congressional traditions very dearly but we must also adapt and innovate wherever and whenever we are called for," he added.

Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda underscored the significance of constant collaboration, coordination and sharing of knowledge, resources and information amidst digital transformation.

She said eCongress will enable both chambers of Congress to perform their functions and services to the Filipinos efficiently.

"Developing a database will substantially transform public services, provide better coordination between both chambers, and ensure alignment of national strategy. As more data is shared and secured, it can be synthesized into useful information for decision-making," Legarda said.

Time to invest in digital infra

Legarda emphasized it is time for Congress to invest in resources that establish public digital infrastructure, articulate strategies, and integrate advances within the system of governance.

"Timely, accurate, and clear information requires the right digital infrastructure, efficient information systems, resources, and protocols," she said.

She said digital transformation has long been introduced and is welcomed by the people and governments.

"The shared power of legislation of the Senate and the House of Representatives, as it has been desired by the fundamental law of the land, is justified to exercise careful and diligent legislation, expand democratic processes and secure orderly deliberation of both chambers of Congress," she said.

Also present during the launching of eCongress website (eCongress.gov.ph) were Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva and Senator Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito, as well as Reps. Tobias Tiangco and Joboy Aquino. (PNA)

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