The imposition by Senator Bong Go for the House of Representatives to adopt in toto his Malasakit bill which was previously approved by the Senate is a gross disrespect to the committee system and the constructive plenary deliberations of a co-equal chamber.

Go has even bypassed the House committee on health which was hesitant to accede to his insistence when he reportedly talked directly to Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Majority Speaker Martin Romualdez to have the Senate version adopted forthwith by the House without amendments to foreclose a bicameral conference committee.

There are 18 individual bills which the House committee on health has harmonized which have different provisions from Go’s Malasakit bill.

Since the consolidated House version has an appropriation provision and tax implications, the bill has to be approved respectively by the committee on appropriations and the committee on ways and means before it is forwarded to the committee on rules for plenary deliberation.

Considering the varying perspectives of Senators and Representatives on most important policy issues, unanimity should not be conscripted before commonality is achieved in a bicameral conference.

EDCEL C. LAGMAN