Memo Circular No. 108 creates
'paralysis in lawmaking'

Senator Edgardo J. Angara today condemned memorandum circular 108 which "creates an apparent paralysis in lawmaking not only in the Senate but in the entire Congress as well."

Memorandum Circular No. 108 outlines the guidelines of department heads and other officials of the executive department before they appear in Congress.

"What we have been doing is not just a Senate hearing. This has been a joint Senate-House hearing. So, the officials who continuously snub us are actually insulting the entire Congress, not just the Senate," Angara said.

Angara was referring to the Senate's hearings on the Guimaras oil spill, nursing board exams and the alleged anomaly in funds of Overseas Workers and Welfare Administration (OWWA), of which several officials who were called failed to appear.

Angara also said that these government officials are missing the opportunity to explain to the public what they have been doing and what they intend to do.

"It is really tragic that executive officials adopt this kind of position. They've missed an opportunity to shed light to the issues at hand," Angara said.

"In other words, the memorandum intends to put us in hot water - to make it look like we are of no use and are not doing anything here at the Senate. But the truth is, the administration is the root cause of the inaction, why we are powerless to take action, because government officials keep on ignoring us and keep failing to attend the hearings," he continued.

Angara also pointed out the relevance of two doctrines in the system of democratic government.

"The Doctrine of Separation of Powers and the doctrine of Check and Balance assume that there will be coordination between the two political departments - the executive and the legislative. But with this memorandum circular no. 108 clearly drawn, the opportunity for cooperation and collaboration is completely lost," Angara explained.

"The disclosure of this memorandum was really an atrocious discovery. The real victims here are the Filipinos. Very important legislations are pending before the Senate and we can't make any progress as a result of Malacanang's intransigence," he added.