The House of Representatives Secretariat led by Secretary General Reginald Velasco and the Senate Secretariat led by Secretary Atty. Renato Bantug Jr. reconvened on Thursday to discuss updates on the planned e-Congress web portal, which would house information on the legislative secretariat work of both chambers. A technical working group was created, composed of House Secretariat officials and their Senate counterparts to finalize preparations for the launch. During the meeting, Velasco and Bantug underscored that all activities and details for the project must be decided by consensus as the web portal aims to make legislative work more efficient for both institutions. Plans towards the filing of concurrent resolutions that shall pave the way for the memorandum of agreement on the joint website were also concretized. The website is being set up by the House Information and Communications Technology Service headed by Director Arnold De Castro. Among the House Secretariat officials present were Inter-Parliamentary and Public Affairs Department Deputy Secretary General Atty. Gracelda Andres and Legislative Operations Department Deputy Secretary General Atty. David Robert Amorin, and Committee Affairs Department OIC-Deputy Secretary General Jennifer Baquiran. Meanwhile, Senate secretariat officials also present were Executive Director for Legislation Atty. Marivic Laurel-Garcia, Electronic Data and Processing-Management and Information System Bureau Director Mario Antonio Sulit, and Senate Legal Counsel Atty. Maria Valentina Cruz, among others.
