Two lawmakers have filed a bill seeking to prohibit acting appointments to Cabinet and other key government posts requiring confirmation by the Commission on Appointments (CA) while Congress is in session.
House Bill No. 9298, filed by PPP Party-list Rep. Harold Duterte and Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte, aims to clarify the limits of the President’s appointment power and strengthen the confirmation process for top government officials.
The measure seeks to prevent the appointment of officials in an acting capacity to positions that require CA confirmation when Congress is available to act on such nominations.
In the bill’s explanatory note, the authors acknowledged that the President’s appointment power under Section 16, Article VII of the 1987 Constitution is necessary to ensure the continuous operation of government.
However, they said the use of acting appointments has raised concerns over possible circumvention of the confirmation process, which is designed to provide checks and balances on key executive appointments.
The proposed legislation seeks to preserve the constitutional intent of maintaining uninterrupted government operations while preventing practices that may weaken transparency, accountability, and legislative oversight.
The authors said the measure underscores the need for government appointments to remain compliant with constitutional safeguards and subject to proper scrutiny by the CA.