THE House of Representatives will officially launch LegisHear—its nationwide legislative consultation and oversight initiative—with Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III leading the inaugural event on Friday at Isabela State University in Echague, Isabela.
House Secretary General Atty. Cheloy E. Velicaria-Garafil on Thursday revealed that LegisHear is the first major step in the Speaker’s goal of making the House more open, responsive, and people-centered by bringing legislative consultations directly to provinces across the country.
Joining Speaker Dy during the launch are Negros Occidental Third District Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez, officials of Isabela State University, representatives from partner national government agencies, local government officials, civil society organizations, educators, farmers, students, and other sectoral stakeholders. The event will also feature a town hall meeting, legislative discussions, focus group discussions, and public service activities.
“LegisHear reflects Speaker Bojie Dy’s vision of a Bagong Kongreso—one that does not wait for the people to come to Congress, but brings Congress closer to the people,” said Garafil.
“In his opening message for the Second Regular Session, the Speaker emphasized that the House must ‘listen more intently, serve more faithfully, and remain accountable to the Filipino people.’ LegisHear transforms that commitment into action by ensuring that the voices of ordinary Filipinos help shape the laws that govern them.”
Garafil explained that the initiative is consistent with the House leadership’s belief that meaningful legislation must be grounded in the realities experienced by Filipinos around the country.
“Good laws are not crafted in isolation. They are bolstered by the experiences, aspirations, and recommendations of the people whose lives they seek to improve. Through LegisHear, Congress will listen, learn, and legislate with greater purpose,” said the House leader.
LegisHear is a nationwide legislative engagement initiative designed to bring Congress closer to communities through consultations, policy dialogues, public hearings, and oversight activities.
It seeks to gather citizen input on pending legislative measures, evaluate the implementation of existing laws and government programs, strengthen congressional oversight, and institutionalize citizen participation in the lawmaking process under the guiding principle that “Bawat Batas Mahalaga.”
The program also integrates public service delivery by bringing together partner government agencies to provide frontline services anchored on existing laws while gathering feedback that can help improve legislation and government programs.
Insights gathered from consultations and focus group discussions will be consolidated into policy recommendations for Congress and concerned agencies.
After its inaugural run in Isabela, LegisHear is envisioned to expand to areas across the country as part of the House of Representatives’ continuing effort to make lawmaking more participatory, accessible, and responsive to the needs of every Filipino.
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