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BBuukklloodd AAtteenniissttaass GGuuiiddee ttoo PPaarrlliiaammeennttaarryy PPrroocceedduurreeaass aaddhheerreedd oonn RRoobbeerrttss RRuulleess ooffOOrrddeerr,, 1111t
thh EEddiittiioonn
I. Principlesa. A deliberative assembly is an autonomous body that enjoys the freedom to
conduct its business in accordance with the provisions for the rights of the
members and that of the assembly per se.
b. The right to vote is limited to the members who are present in a meeting duringthe time a vote is actually taken.
c. Even if the vote is unanimous, rules can never be suspended to give a right tovote to a non-member.
d. Cumulative voting is prohibited.e. Absentee voting is prohibited.f. One motion can be considered at a time.g. The majority rules, but only after providing for the minority to be heard.h. The only way to keep a member from being heard is by a 2/3 of the entire group
to stop a debate.
i. Before the start of a plenary session, the presiding officer will already designatewho shall lead the standing rules (singing of National Anthem, Prayer, etc.)
j. Strict adherence to the Table of Motions as provided in the Appendix (simplifiedfrom Roberts Rule of Order, 12th Edition) is expected of the members of the
parliament.
k. Violation of such must be dealt with accordingly and be considered as a graveoffense.
II. Parliamentary Procedures in Buklod Atenista Plenary Sessions
a. Getting Startedi. Opening Ceremony: the Presiding Officer, while carrying the mace, will be
the first person in queue. The Presidents of each Ateneo School 1, followed
1Arranged alphabetically per school name
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by the Ambassadors, and lastly, the other delegates will enter, respectively.
All members of the parliamentary board will remain standing until the
meeting is called to order.
ii. Standing rules2 will be followed unless an Incidental Motion of Suspensionof Rules
3
is raised.iii. The Presiding Officer will ask the Secretary if the board is in quorum. If
affirmative, proceed to iv. Otherwise, the plenary session must be
postponed.
iv. The Presiding Officer will call the meeting to order. This shall be gesturedby two taps of the gavel. All members of the parliamentary board will now
take their seats.
v. For customary purposes, a roll call will be ordered by the Presiding Officer.Such will be done by the Secretary or whoever is deemed assigned by the
Presiding Officer.
vi. Reading of the Previous Minutes will follow. An overview on what wasdiscussed on the last meeting will be read by the Secretary or whoever is
deemed assigned by the Presiding Officer. The approval of this
aforementioned will be attested by a Motion of Approval4 raised by any
member of the board.
b. Meeting Properi. Reports from Office, Boards and Standing Committee and on Special
Orders will be entertained, should there be any.
ii. On the absence of necessary and urgent reports, discussions aboutUnfinished Businesses and General Orders will be discussed.
iii. The Presiding Officer will announce the agenda for the meeting, or openlyask the pleasure of the body as to the order of presentation. If the former,
the board will adhere to the order of presentation as crafted by the
Presiding Officer beforehand and to the standing rules of raising motions.
2i.e - National Anthem, School Song, Prayer
3See Appendix for guidance as to the Nature and Levels of Motions
4Ibid.
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If the latter, members of the Parliament will proceed to the discussion of
matters by raising a General Motion.5
iv. Discussion proper commences.v. The Presiding Officer will assume that there are no more points of
clarifications, suggestions or recommendations if there are no IncidentalMotions raised after a General Motion or an Agendum, whichever is
deemed necessary. In such case when a motion/issue has been tackled,
the Presiding Officer will affirm if no more discussions will take place. If so,
he/she will say The motion is carried and as a gesture, will tap the gavel
once before proceeding to the next issue/motion6. When all underlying
issues/motions are carried, proceed to C.
c. Raising Issuesi. The Presiding Officer will ask the pleasure of the body as to what issues
will be discussed. The Presiding Officer will record the concerns. Should
there be a list secured beforehand, he/she will cite the order of
presentation.
ii. The floor will be given to the member of the parliament whom thePresiding Officer7 gave the privilege of speaking. On the absence of an
order of presentation, any member amongst the board can raise a General
Motion for discussion.
iii. While a main motion of issue is being discussed, Incidental and SubsidiaryMotions are to be raised as a gesture of clarification, question, suggestion,
and opposition. Such motions are implications of the formal procedure of
parliamentary inquiries.
iv. For every accomplished discussion of a general debate, the PresidingOfficer must say There being no more remarks on the issue of , is the board ready for the next question? If negative, a
5Reminder: From here on, strict adherence to the Nature and Levels of Motions as provided in the Appendix regarding
proper code of interruption, seconding, debating, voting, referral, postponement or reconsideration must be strictlyobserved.
6A tap of a gavel signifies an approval of a motion.
7The Presiding Officer, at this juncture will reiterate the question being talked about. i.eA general debate is then
introduced when he/she will say The question is that the body has considered the . Remarks?
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Subsidiary or Incidental Motion can be raised by any member of the board
to indicate a need for further discussion. If affirmative, the next issue will
be raised.
v. If there are issues to be raised, proceed to D. Otherwise, the PresidingOfficer will ask the pleasure of the body and go back to C. i. for guidance.
d. Adjournmenti. A motion to adjourn must be made.ii. The adjournment shall be the last item of the standing order of business.iii. The Presiding Officer shall ask for objections to the motion to adjourn. If
there are objections, debate and division follows. If the vote results to a
no, the meeting continues, and the chair asks the pleasure of the body. If
otherwise, the session is adjourned by three taps on the gavel.
iv. Upon Adjournment, the Presiding Officer shall call for members to rise. Anexit procession with similar order as in the Entrance Procession will then
follow.
III. PHRASING OF REGULARLY USED STATEMENTS
1. Main Motions:a. Motion to reconsider a decision of the chair: Mr/Ms Chair, I move to reconsider
the action on the question of .
A motion for reconsideration is raised by any member of the plenary whonotices a misjudgement of decision of the Chair. Exempli gratia, during a
division of house and Yeas have it, the Presiding Officer verdicts over the
Nays.
b. Motion to rescind a decision of the chair: Mr/Ms Chair, I move to rescind theaction which was adopted regarding the motion of .
2. Incidental Motions:a. Motion to appeal the decision of the chair: Mr/Ms. Chair, I move to raise a
motion to appeal the decision about .
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b. Motion to close nomination: Mr/Ms Chair, I move to close the nomination.c. Motion to divide the house: Mr/Ms. Chair, I raise a motion to divide to housed. Motion to object the consideration: Mr/Ms. Chair, with due respect, however I
would like to raise a motion to object the consideration about .
e. Motion to ask a question or clarify matters or parliamentary inquiry: I call/rise fora parliamentary question, Mr/Ms Chair. .
f. Motion to raise an opinion or comment: Mr/Ms Chair, Point of Information.
g. Motion to raise if a parliamentary rule has been broken: Point of Order, Mr/Ms.Chair.
h. Motion to suspend a standing rule: Mr/Ms Chair, I move to raise a motion tosuspend a standing rule about
i. Motion to withdraw a motion: Mr/Ms Chair, I move to withdraw a motion about
j. Motion to adopt the general motion: Mr/Ms Chair, I move to adopt the
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e. Motion to postpone the discussion or session to a specific time: Mr/Ms Chair, Iraise a motion to postpone the discussion to . .
f. Motion to refer the matter to a specific committee: Mr/Ms Chair, I raise a motionto refer the matter to . .
g. Motion to amend the general motion: Mr/Ms Chair, I move to amend themotion about , by adding [or removing] after the word , such that when properly seconded and
approved, it will be read as .
h. Motion to amend an amendment of the general motion: Mr/Ms Chair, I move toamend the amendment by adding/replacing the words after
the amendment , such that when properly
seconded and approved, it will be read as .
4. Privilege Motion:a. Motion to fix time of the next meeting: Mr/Ms Chair, I raise a motion to fix the
time of the next meeting.
b. Motion for recess: Mr/Ms Chair, I raise a motion for recess A recess suspends proceedings for a definite period of time to be resumed
on the same day.
c. Motion to call for a caucus; Mr/Ms Chair, I raise a call for a caucus A caucus is a recess called for the purpose of allowing groups to meet and
discuss certain matters at hand.
d. Motion to adjourn: Mr/Ms Chair, I raise a motion to adjourn this plenarysession.
e. Motion to excuse self from doing something during a session: Mr/Chair, motionof privilege. .
This motion is raised when a parliamentarian needs to pick up his/her pen,answer a phone call, or go to attend personal necessities.
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APPENDIX: Nature and Levels of Motions
Main
Motions
8
Can
Interrupt
Speaker?
Requires
Second?
Debatable? Votes
Required
Amendable? Subject to
Referral to
Committee
Subject to
Postponement
Subject to
Reconsideration
Main Motion No Yes Yes 50%+1 Yes Yes Yes Yes
Reconsider Yes Yes Yes 50%+1 No No Yes No
Rescind No Yes Yes 2/3 Yes Yes Yes Yes
Resume
consideration
No Yes No 50%+1 No No No No
Set special
order to
business
No Yes Yes 2/3 Yes No No Yes
Incidental
Motions9
Can
Interrupt
Speaker?
Requires
Second?
Debatable? Votes
Required
Amendable? Subject to
Referral to
Committee
Subject to
Postponement
Subject to
Reconsideration
Appeal
decision
Yes Yes Yes 50%+1 No No Yes Yes
Close
nomination
No Yes No 2/3 Yes No No No
Division of
House
Yes No No None No No No No
Object to
Consideration
Yes No No 2/3 No No No No
Parliamentary
Inquiry
Yes No No None No No No No
Point of Order Yes No No None No No No No
8All Main Motions need a second and are debatable except for the resuming of a consideration that was previously
postponed indefinitely.
9Incidental Motions generally can interrupt a speaker, except a Motion to Close a Nomination, Suspend Rules and
Withdraw or Approve a Main Motion.
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Suspension of
Rules
No Yes No 2/3 No No No No
Point of
Information
Yes No No None No No No No
Withdraw
motion
No No No 50%+1 No No No No
Adopt a
motion
No No No No No No No No
Subsidiary
Motions10
Can
Interrupt
Speaker?
Requires
Second?
Debatable? Votes
Required
Amendable? Subject to
Referral to
Committee
Subject to
Postponement
Subject to
Reconsideration
Postponetemporarily/
Lay motion on
table
No Yes No 50%+1 No No No No
Call for
previous
question (vote
immediately)
No Yes No 2/3 No No No No
Limit or extend
debate
No Yes No 2/3 Yes No No No
Postpone to
specific time
No Yes Yes 50%+1 Yes No No No
Refer to
committee
No Yes Yes 50%+1 Yes No No No
Amend No Yes Yes 50%+1 Yes Yes Yes Yes
Amend an
Amendment
No Yes Yes 50%+1 No Yes Yes Yes
PostponeIndefinitely
No Yes Yes 50%+1 No No NO No
10Subsidiary Motions can NEVER interrupt a speaker, but ALWAYS require seconding and voting.
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