The House of Representatives is set to start its hearings on the proposed P3.002-trillion national budget for 2016 on August 10, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said, even as he lauded the Department of Budget for the early submission of the proposal. 

In his final State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Benigno Aquino III asked the Congress to help guarantee a permanent peace deal in Mindanao by passing the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), and to limit the hold of political families on power by enacting an anti-dynasty bill. 

Representatives from both the majority and minority blocs in the Congress have assured Feliciano Belmonte Jr. of retaining his speakership post amid rumors about a supposed plot to oust him. 

The House of Representatives is all set for President Benigno Aquino III’s final State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 27, 2015, with an expected audience of  2,700 guests consisting of legislators, members of the diplomatic corps, Cabinet officials and representatives from various sectors. 

The Commission on Elections has informed the House of Representatives that it was rejecting a proposal for hybrid voting, which involves manual balloting and partial automation, after a test run showed its dismal results.