QUEZON CITY -- Members of the House of Representatives are set to convene at the Plenary Hall tomorrow, Monday, at 10am for the Opening of the First Regular Session of the 19th Congress. A highlight of the event is the election of the new House Speaker. House Secretary-General Mark Llandro Mendoza will preside over the inaugural session. Per the House Rules, the Secretary General of the immediately preceding Congress will preside over the inaugural session of the House until the election of a new Speaker. As presiding officer, the Secretary General will call the session to order, call the roll of Members by provinces, cities and municipalities comprising districts, and by party-lists in alphabetical order, designate an acting Floor Leader, and preserve order and decorum.
The convening of the regular session is in accordance with Article VI, Sections 15 and 16 of the 1987 Constitution, which provides that the Congress shall convene once every year on the fourth Monday of July for its regular session.
The elected Speaker is expected to deliver his traditional Acceptance Speech to thank his colleagues and outline his legislative priorities .
Meanwhile, House Members are expected to pass a resolution informing President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. that the House has convened and organized, and is ready to receive the President and hear the SONA.
In his latest SONA Advisory, SecGen Mendoza said that all House Members are expected to attend the Opening of the First Regular Session of the 19th Congress, which will start promptly at 10am. Members who will attend the session through Zoom platform will be given the meeting link.
SecGen Mendoza also reminded that access to the Plenary Hall and other restricted areas, such as North Lounge, South Lounge, Executive Lounge, and Office of the Majority Leader, will be limited to individuals who have been cleared and allowed entry by the Presidential Security Group (PSG).
He added that only Secretariat officials, employees and service providers whose names are included in the list submitted to the PSG through the Sergeant-at-Arms /Legislative Security Bureau will be allowed entry in the Plenary Hall and its surrounding offices/areas.
In the afternoon, the Senate and the House will convene in a Joint Session to hear the President’s SONA at 4pm. (House of Representatives)