A. Getting to Parliament

a. Is parking available for visitors to Parliament Building?

i. Visitors can park at the public car park along the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex or the Bangsamoro Transition Authority building. Visitors who require further assistance with car park opening hours, charges, and related information may wish to contact the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms at [email protected] or +639156101398.

b. Where is the Parliament Building located?

i. We are located at BTA Building, Bangsamoro Government Center, Gov. Guiterrez Avenue, Barangay Rosary Heights 7, Cotabato City. Visitors enter via the Public Entrance which is located along Parliament Building (please see map). Parliament Building is located next to the Civil Service Commission Building and within walking distance to the Office of the Chief Minister Building and the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex.

ii. The session hall can be located at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex.

iii. Please click here for the map.

c. How do I get to Parliament Building?

i. The Parliament Building is located inside the Bangsamoro Government Center. Commuters can ride Public Utility Vehicle going to ORC Village and should alight at Bangsamoro Government Center stop along Governor Gutierrez Avenue. Visitors to Parliament House enter via Public Entrance which is located along Parliament Building.

ii. Please click here for the map.

d. Where are Plenary Sessions being conducted?

i. Sessions are conducted in the Plenary Hall located at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex inside the Bangsamoro Government Center.

e. What are the operating hours of the Parliament?

i. The Parliament operates from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm from Mondays to Fridays.

f. How can I contact the Parliament?

i. You may contact the Parliament via email at [email protected]. You may also visit the Secretariat Page or the Contact Us page on the website.

B. Visiting the Parliament

a. Are Parliament proceedings open to the public?

i. Yes, Parliament proceedings are open to the public, except when the Parliament so desires.

b. How do I know if Parliament is conducting its session?

i. Notices of Parliament sittings are publicized in the media. The notice can also be found on the Parliament website at www.parliament.bangsamoro.gov.ph under the “Calendar of Events” section. Plenary sessions are conducted every Monday to Thursday of the Third and Fourth Week of the month except during recess.

c. Do I need to inform anyone or book a seat before coming to Parliament?

i. Parliament does not accept bookings or reservations for seats. The Sergeant-at-Arms issues Admission Orders to members of the public who apply in person at the Public Lobby. Admission is granted if there are seats available in the galleries.

d. What is the acceptable dress code while visiting a Parliament proceeding?

i. Visitors are required to dress modestly. Parliament House reserves the right to refuse entry to all visitors who are inappropriately attired such as in singlet, shorts, slippers/sandals, or attired in clothing bearing inappropriate words, slogans, or symbols, including bearing political party affiliation.

e. How long is a Parliament session?

i. Parliament sessions usually start at 1:00 PM. Sessions end when all the items of business on the Order of Business have been discussed or when Parliament decides to adjourn.

C. Visiting Parliament on a Session Day

a. Are Parliament proceedings open to the public?

i. Yes, Parliament proceedings are open to the public, except when the Parliament so desires.

b. Do I need to inform anyone or book a seat before coming to Parliament?

i. Parliament does not accept booking or reservation of seats. The Sergeant-at-Arms issues Admission Orders to members of the public who apply in person at the Public Lobby. Admission is granted if there are seats available in the galleries.

c. Are foreigners allowed to observe the proceedings?

i. Yes, foreigners are allowed to observe Parliament proceedings. The requirements for admission are the same as for Filipino citizens.

d. What documents do I need to bring along to apply for an Admission Order?

i. You are required to bring along your identity card or passport to exchange for an Admission Order at the Public Lobby.

e. What is the acceptable dress code while visiting a Parliament proceeding?

i. Visitors are required to dress modestly. Parliament reserves the right to refuse entry to all visitors who are inappropriately attired such as in singlet, shorts, slippers/sandals, or attired in clothing bearing inappropriate words, slogans, or symbols, including bearing political party affiliation.

f. How long is a Parliament session?

i. Parliament sessions usually start at 1:00 PM. Sessions end when all the items of business on the Order of Business have been discussed or when Parliament decides to adjourn.

g. Must I arrive before the sitting starts and remain for the entire duration of the sitting?

i. Visitors do not need to come before a session starts or remain for its entire duration. They can arrive and leave at any time between the start of the session and its end.

h. Are there breaks during a session?

i. There is usually a break of 15 to 30 minutes during a session.

i. What are the rules I must observe during a sitting?

i. Visitors must remain silent and not gesticulate, read books or papers, sketch or draw while in the Public Gallery. They should also abstain from creating any disturbance or interruption during parliamentary proceedings.

j. Can visitors take part in debates?

i. Visitors are not allowed to take part in debates. They shall observe the proceedings in silence.

k. Are children allowed to observe Parliament sessions?

i. Children the age of six and above are allowed to observe Parliament sessions, provided they are accompanied by an adult. Accompanying adults are required to ensure that the children are always well-behaved while in the Plenary Hall.

l. Where can I find the agenda for a session?

i. The agenda for each session is found in the Order of Business. The Order of Business is available in Parliament. It can be accessed by clicking on the “Order of Business” page under the “Parliament” section of the homepage.

m. Where can I find the Official Report of the proceedings?

i. The Official Report is made available 10 days after a session on the Parliament website at www.parliament.bangsamoro.gov.ph. It can be accessed by clicking on the “Journal” page under the “Legislative Documents” section of the homepage.

D. The Parliament Website

a. What is the website URL for the Parliament of Singapore website?

i. The BTA Parliament website can be found at www.parliament.bangsamoro.gov.ph.

b. How can I access the Order of Business, Proceedings and Bills Introduced?

i. You can access the latest Order of Business by clicking on the “Order of Business” page under the “Parliament” section of the homepage. The Bangsamoro Autonomy Acts, Bills, Adopted Resolutions, and Proposed Resolutions can be accessed in the “Legislative Documents” section on the homepage.

c. How often are the Order of Business and Bills Introduced links updated?

i. The Order of Business for a session is usually available the day before the session. Bills introduced are updated on the same day of the session at which they were introduced.

d. Where can I view the Bangsamoro Autonomy Acts, Bills, Adopted Resolutions, and Proposed Resolutions?

i. When accessing a document, go to the “Legislative Documents” section on the homepage. Click your desired legislative measure. General Information on the Legislative Measure can be accessed on the “General Information” tab. Author(s) and Co-Author(s) can be viewed on the “Author(s) and Co-Author(s)” tab. Files can be accessed on the “Documents” tab. Related news can be viewed on the “News Stories” tab.

e. Where can I watch the session?

i. Sessions are broadcasted on the Website in the “Live Session” section of the homepage. Sessions are also live-streamed on the official Facebook page and YouTube Page of the BTA – Parliament.

ii. BTA Session Highlights can be viewed on the “Watch Parliament at Work” page under the “Get Involved” section.

f. Where can I view the committee reports, committee schedules, and list of committees?

i. Information about the Committees can be accessed in the “Committees” section on the homepage. A list of committees and their memberships can be viewed on the “Committees” page under the “Committees” section. The schedule of committee activities can be accessed on the “Committee Schedule” page. The Committee Reports can be accessed on the “Committee Reports” page under the “Committees” Section.

g. How can I get involved with the Parliament?

i. You can contact a Member of the Parliament. You can view their contact information under the “Contact an MP” page in the “Get Involved” section of the homepage. You can also watch the BTA Session Highlights, Ulat Bangsamoro, and Talakayang Parlyamento under the “Watch Parliament at Work” section. You can also submit your position papers on certain bills. Check the “Call for Position Papers” page for more information. Posting of vacant positions can be accessed on the “Job Opportunities” page while any Invitations to Bid can be accessed on the “Invitations to Bid” page. If you are looking for a specific office or employee, you may access their contact information on the “Contact Us” page in the “Get Involved” section or in the “Secretariat” section on the homepage.

h. Where can I read the news?

i. Press releases can be accessed in the “News” section on the homepage. You can also watch the BTA Session Highlights, Ulat Bangsamoro, and Talakayang Parlyamento under the “Watch Parliament at Work” section in the “Getting Involved” section on the homepage.

E. Members of the Parliament

a. Who is the current Speaker of Parliament?

i. The current Speaker of Parliament is Atty. Pangalian M. Balindong. He is assisted by Deputy Speakers Hatimil E. Hassan, Atty. Omar Yasser C. Sema, Atty. Nabil A. Tan, Atty. Paisalin P. Tago, Benjamin T. Loong, Abdulkarim T. Misuari, Atty. Lanang T. Ali, Jr, and Atty. Laisa M. Alamia

b. Who is the current Floor Leader of the Parliament?

i. The current Floor Leader of the Parliament is Atty. Sha Elijah B. Dumama-Alba. She is assisted by Deputy Floor Leaders Atty. Raissa H. Jajurie, Atty. Anna Tarhata S. Basman, Atty. Mary Ann M. Arnado, and Atty. Jose I. Lorena.

c. What is the composition of the BTA?

i. According to Section 6 of Rule II of the Parliamentary Rules, Procedures, and Practices of the BTA BARMM, The BTA shall be composed of eighty( 80) Members, who shall be appointed by the President: Provided, in addition, that the elected officials of the Autonomous Regional Government in Muslim Mindanao shall automatically become Members of the BTA and shall serve until noon of the 30th of June 2019: Provided, further, That non-Moro indigenous communities, youth, women, settler communities, traditional leaders, and other sectors shall have representatives in the BTA.

d. What are the rights, duties, and responsibilities of the Members of the BTA?

i. Section 10. Rights of the Members of the BTA. – All Members of the BTA shall have the following:

a) Equal rights, privileges, and obligations. Parliamentary rules and procedures shall be administered impartially;

b) Right to receive all notices and schedule of sessions, committee hearings, and meetings;

c) Equal rights to make and present motions;

d) Right to second motions, when necessary;

e) Right to a full and free debate and discussions of motions presented before the plenary sessions, committee hearings and meetings;

f) Right to vote on motions, except when they have conflict of interest or financial and pecuniary interest in the legislative measures under consideration, in which case they have to inhibit from participating in the proceedings;

g) Right to know the meaning of the issues and the questions being debated and discussed;

h) Right to object when the Parliamentary rules and procedures of these Rules are being violated;

i) Shall not, in a debate and discussion of any proposed legislative measure, have to suffer personal abuse and attack from the other Members;

j) Right to access to all the minutes and journals of the sessions, committee meetings, and hearings; and

k) All other rights and privileges provided for under the Organic Law of the BARMM and these Rules.

ii. Section 11. Duties and Responsibilities. – The primary duty and responsibility of the Members of the BTA shall be legislation. In order to fulfill this duty, the Members have the following duties and responsibilities:

a) Prepare, introduce and work for the passage of legislative measures to effectively address social, political and economic needs and concerns in the Bangsamoro;

b) Be obliged to promptly attend plenary sessions, committee hearings and meetings of which they are Members or where they are the authors and sponsors of the proposed legislative measures under consideration;

c) Stay in the Session Hall and committee rooms until the end of the session, committee hearings, and meetings;

d) Must be ready to intelligently participate in the debate of the legislative measures under consideration either in the plenary, committee hearings and meetings, or public consultations;

e) Can speak openly but shall allow everyone his/her turn to speak;

f) Must treat everyone with respect and courtesy and shall not use abusive and insulting language, impute accusation of dishonest conduct or corrupt practices against fellow Members of the BTA;

g) Must follow the rules of debate as provided in these Rules; and

h) Perform such other functions and activities as may be lawful and necessary to ensure the passage of legislative measures needed to effectively address the social, political, economic needs and development of the Bangsamoro.