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December 11, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Blame it on the Nov. 30 fire that left the Senate session hall drenched and in disarray. The bicameral conference committee proceedings have been reset, extending in effect the legislative calendar of Congress.
Both the Senate and the House of Representatives adopted late Tuesday Senate Concurrent Resolution 7 introduced by Senate Majority Leader Migz Zubiri, extending the adjournment of legislative session to Dec. 23 – or two days before Christmas – from the original Dec. 20.
The original Jan. 19 resumption of session next year – after senators and congressmen finish their Christmas break – was also “amended” and moved to Jan. 26, ostensibly to facilitate the bicam proceedings where conflicting versions in the 2026 national budget would be reconciled.
This was the second time the legislative calendar of the first regular session of the 20th Congress was amended.
The first time was in October when the House appropriations committee, led by Rep. Mika Suansing, extended budget deliberations until Oct. 13, and extended a week later.
Senators said bicam deliberations will start today and will last for several days, while President Marcos is expected to sign the 2026 General Appropriations Act after Congress ratifies it, on Dec. 29, or a day before the Dec. 30 Rizal Day, a holiday.
The original March 21 adjournment was retained, however, all the way to Congress’ resumption of session on May 4, when congressional sessions will only last for a month or so, or until June 6 when the legislature takes another break for its sine die adjournment.
Resumption of sessions will be on July 26 next year, the second regular session of the 20th Congress (2025 to 2028), during which Marcos will deliver his fifth State of the Nation Address.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the Nov. 30 fire rendered their plenary hall wet, but he assured the public that vital documents, especially relating to the General Appropriations Act of 2026, had been unaffected.
“Rest assured that all pertinent Senate documents – including those of the Blue Ribbon committee – remain intact, safe and completely unaffected by the fire,” he said. The fire affected the third floor of the building where the Legislative Technical Affairs Bureau is located.
In an interview with House reporters, Bacolod lone district Rep. Albee Benitez said deliberations on the 2026 national budget should be livestreamed.- Neil Jayson Servallos, Jose Rodel Clapano
