Change in committee title bothers councilor

CEBU, Philippines - Minority Talisay City Councilor Dennis Basillote protested how majority members of the council "approved in haste" the resolution modifying a certain committee name reportedly without any consultation among its members.

This after the council on Tuesday's regular session approved Resolution No. 2014- 25 - 6 to modify the name of the committee on Housing, Urban Poor and Rural Development to Committee on Housing and Urban Development.

"Why are we going to change the title? Changing it needs implementing rules, regulations and guidelines. Di ba kinahanglan man og consultation sa mga members ug organizations?" Basillote asked the proponent of the resolution Councilor Doroteo Emit.

Emit, who is the chairman of the committee on Housing, Urban Poor & Rural Development, said changing the name is no big deal because the implementing rules and its functions are not changed anyway.

"What's in the name? Nothing changes if the name of the committee will be replaced," Emit said.

Emit further said the term "urban poor," though commonly known as referring to those who are landless seeking the aid of the government for a decent abode, has a negative connotation and unsympathetically degrading to landless constituents.

Last July 2013, the City Council approved Resolution No. 2014-86 that duly provides the regular standing committees of the council, the chairmanship and membership, including that of the Committee on Housing, Urban Poor and Rural Development.

However, Basillote maintained that the name should not be changed and that consultations should be conducted.

The council was divided after Emit moved for the division of the house with nine favoring for the resolution and two against it.