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GENERAL OVERVIEW OF
PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

“We must learn to run a meeting without victimizing the audience; but more importantly,
without being victimized by individuals who are armed with parliamentary procedure and
a personal agenda” (www.calweb.com/~laredo/parlproc.htm).

Parliamentary Procedure (or Law) originally referred to the customs and rules for
conducting business in the British Parliament and later referred to deliberative assemblies
in general. In Great Britain, these procedures form a part of the unwritten law of the land,
and in our legislative bodies, they are the authority in all cases where they do not conflict
with existing rules or precedents. Parliamentary procedure is the best way to get things
done at your meetings. It will only work, however, if you use it properly.

Parliamentary law refers to that body of generally accepted rules, precedents, and
practices commonly employed to regulate the proceedings of deliberative assemblies
(Orendain, 2016).

Henry Martyn Robert was an engineering officer in the regular U.S. Army in the
late 1800s. Without any warning he was asked to preside over a church meeting and to
his embarrassment, he realized that he did not know-how. This situation, familiar to
many of us, who have been in heated or disorderly union meetings, left him determined
never to attend another meeting until he knew something of parliamentary law. He first
published his Robert's Rules of Order while a major in 1876.

Ultimately, he discovered and studied a few books then available on the subject.
As he was transferred to various parts of the United States during his military service, he
found virtual parliamentary anarchy, since people from different parts of the country had
differing ideas about a correct procedure.

In 1876, General Robert set out to bring the rules of parliamentary law (by then
adopted by the U.S. Congress) to members of ordinary societies and organizations with
the publication of the Pocket Manual of Rules of Order. It sold half a million copies
before it was completely reworked in 1915 and published as Robert's Rules of Order
Revised and made Robert's name synonymous with the orderly rules in deliberative
societies. In 1970 it was substantially expanded and became Robert's Rules of Order
Newly Revised.
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There are parliamentary books that were published locally such as Parliamentary
Rules by Orendain (2015) and those that were crafted by the Department of Interior and
Local Government for local government unit assemblies. These few materials localized
and simplified the Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised. However, it is a better option
to read the original Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised.

The rules of parliamentary law are constructed upon a careful balance of the rights
of the majority, of the minority (especially a strong minority greater than one-third), of
individual members and absentees.

Fundamentally, under the rules of parliamentary law, a deliberative body is a free

agent--free to do what it wants to do with the greatest measure of protection to itself and
of consideration for the rights of its members.

The current edition of Robert's Rules has been developed through a process of
updating the book with the growth of parliamentary procedure. All editions of the work
issued after the death of the original author have been the work of persons who either
knew and worked with the original author or knew and worked with persons who did.

Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised is designed to provide an answer to nearly

any possible question of parliamentary law.

Parliamentary procedure is a time-tested method of conducting business at

meetings and public gatherings. It can be adapted to fit the needs of any organization.

Every member of the organization should know the basic rules of parliamentary
procedure. The presiding officer will find it helpful to learn more rules than are used.
Practice will ensure smooth meetings and fairness to all. The use of the parliamentary
procedure in all meetings will help the group transact business efficiently, protect the
group from leaders who dictate policies, and protect the rights of each individual in the
group.

Remember, if you are overly strict with rules and procedures, members may be
afraid to speak up. Parliamentary rules, like all other rules, should be applied with
common sense.

Today, Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised is the basic handbook of operation
for most unions, clubs, organizations, and other groups, so these basic rules!

Basic Parliamentary Procedure

When running meetings, here are some of the rules, the language so that can help
them proceed in an orderly fashion. It is important to review and practice it with all of
them early, so every member feels informed and equipped to fully participate in
meetings.
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Here are the capsulized standard operating procedures (SOP) in conducting

meetings.

§ President calls the meeting to order ("this meeting will come to order").

§ Only those who get recognized by the chair may speak during a meeting that has
"come to order."

§ Side conversations are not allowed; if someone wants to speak, it should be to the
whole group (unless someone gets permission from the president to have a small
side conversation for furthering the meeting).

§ The president acts as a neutral "gatekeeper" in discussions of matters to be voted

upon.

§ To discuss something, the group needs to vote on, someone (other than the
president) has to make a motion or proposal ("I move that…happens").

§ The president should do substantially more in facilitating of conversation ("what

do you think, Pat?") than talking.

§ To even discuss a motion, someone has to "second" it ("I second the motion").

§ The minutes need to reflect who makes motions, who seconds them, and what
exactly the motions are (so the secretary may ask the chair to clarify these things
at any time).

§ If there is no second, the motion dies (it will not be discussed).

§ If there is a second, the president calls on people to speak for or against the
motion (giving reasons to vote for or against).

§ If someone who supports the basic motion wants to suggest a change within the
motion, he/she may make a "friendly amendment" in the form of a new motion "I
would like to move that the current motion be amended like this:…"). If they just
don't agree, that's what they say and it doesn't alter the actual motion.

§ The motion to make a friendly amendment either gets a second and the newly
altered motion gets discussed or it dies and discussion returns to the original
motion.

§ The president usually sets a limit of minutes for consideration of a motion and
may ask speakers to (a) wrap up their point soon and/or (b) only speak if they
have new thoughts on the topic.
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§ Anytime someone who gets called upon can "call the question," meaning that if
someone else seconds that "call" the group must vote at that time on the motion
"on the floor" (the motion being discussed).

§ Once a vote is taken by eligible voting members, the secretary announces the
numbers and the president announces whether it "passed" or not.

§ The president then gives directions or requests that appropriate action be taken by
whoever is responsible to act on the motion that has been "passed."

§ The president then thanks the participants for their discussion and/or makes
suggestions for how to perhaps have a better discussion the next time.

§ At the end of the meeting, the president asks for a "motion to dismiss." Someone
seconds and the president ask for a vote. If it passes, the meeting is officially
over.
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LESSON 1
Parliamentary Procedure

Learning Objectives:
1. State the purposes of following parliamentary procedure.
2. Recognize the basic principles of parliamentary procedure.
3. Learn about Robert’s Rules of Order and its value in conducting meetings.
4. Identify terminologies associated with parliamentary procedure.

What is Parliamentary Procedure?

Parliamentary Procedure is a set of well-proven rules designed to move business
along in a meeting while maintaining order and controlling the communications process
(AFT, 2016). Its purpose is to help groups accomplish their tasks through an orderly,
democratic process. Parliamentary procedure is not intended to inhibit a meeting with
unnecessary rules or to prevent people from expressing their opinions. It is intended to
facilitate the smooth functioning of the meeting and promote cooperation and harmony
among members. The rules of parliamentary procedure are guidelines, not hard and fast
laws.
Robert’s Rules of Order is the most commonly used system of parliamentary
procedure. There are many aspects of parliamentary procedure which you will never use.
Pick and choose what best fits the task at hand. This booklet takes a “practical” approach
to parliamentary procedure. The rules were a bit relaxed in-order to make meetings a
little more spontaneous and social. For a stricter interpretation of parliamentary
procedure, you may want to refer to the latest Robert’s Rules of Order.
Other Types of Meeting Facilitation
The life-blood of a meeting is the art of facilitating. In all kinds or types of meetings,
the success lies in the hands of the presiding officer, who will guide, direct, and facilitate
the proceedings in-order that the agenda is tackled on time. In the same line, the presiding
officer should be very familiar with Robert’s Rules of Order or any parliamentary rules
the assembly adopted in their constitution and By-laws.
There are other types of meeting facilitation besides using parliamentary procedure
and Robert’s Rules of Order. These other methods of leading a meeting are usually used
for other things besides legal business which can be recorded in typical minutes.
Consensus
The consensus is a generally accepted opinion or decision among a group of people
(Cambridge English Dictionary). The consensus is a group discussion where everyone's
opinions are heard and understood, and a solution is created that respects those opinions.
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The consensus is not what everyone agrees to, nor is it the preference of the majority.
Consensus results in the best solution that the group can achieve at the time. Remember,
the root of "consensus" is "consent". This means that even if parties disagree, there is still
overall consent to move forward in-order to settle the issue. This requires co-operation
among editors with different interests and opinions (Wikipedia).
The consensus is often used by working groups that have certain tasks to perform,
such as a committee or a conflict resolution process. Consensus does not mean that
everyone always sees eye to eye or agrees on every issue, but rather those involved in the
meeting are willing to give and take to find a resolution or solution that all can live with.
Consensus means that everyone involved in the process will support the final solution put
forth by the group and will not take action to stop or undermine that solution.
Unanimous Support and Agreement
Another type of meeting facilitation which might be used is asking for unanimous
support and agreement. If an issue is especially important, the board may not want to go
ahead unless agrees agreement. This would require a favorable vote or comment by
everyone involved to proceed. If the board is not looking to conduct official business, the
general discussion may be in order. This is often used when the group is in the
information gathering stage and the meeting is simply open to each person asking
questions and making comments to come to a greater shared understanding.
When is Parliamentary Procedure Necessary?
Formal rules of procedure usually become more important as groups become larger
or more diverse, issues become more controversial or complex, or the stakes involved
become more significant. Procedural rules should always be seen as a means to an end,
not an end in themselves. The important thing is for the group to remain focused on its
objectives and reach decisions while allowing everyone to participate and be heard. A
small group may be able to work effectively without any formal rules if no one tries to
dominate the meeting and members treat each other’s viewpoints with respect.
In the real practice of parliamentary procedure, individual biases, self-centeredness,
self-aggrandizement, personal-selfish agenda, and egoistic tendencies must be put aside.
In the name of fairness and justice, all participants must focus on the issue at hand and
find ways to solve the most acceptable manner in the shortest time possible.
It is, therefore, necessary that all members of any assembly should have a solid
knowledge of the rules and procedures, if not they should have it at the tip of their finger-
nails. It is basic as a member, to know the fundamentals of parliamentary procedure in-
order to participate actively and meaningfully in all meetings conducted by the assembly.
Knowledge of the procedure will also help in the fair, just, and orderly conduct of any
meeting.
Members of an association or organization who is ignorant of the fundamentals of
parliamentary procedure are the ones who are unruly, violators of protocols,
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grandstanding, and pretentious to be intelligent. There are others who pretend to ask
question but end up grandstanding. At the end of a long useless speech there no question
asked. These attitudes defeat the real purposes of parliamentary procedure.
Be not one of them. In Filipino, “Huwag silang tularan.”

Fundamentals of Parliamentary Procedure

Parliamentary procedure intends to facilitate an orderly meeting in-order to
accomplish more. The fundamentals of parliamentary procedure are very important to
know and understand well so that one will be an active participant in an assembly or
meeting (Robert’s Rules, 2018). These fundamentals or basics are listed below.
1. The purpose of parliamentary procedure is to make it easier for people to work
together effectively and to help groups accomplish their purposes.
Can you imagine a meeting without rules of procedure?
Have you ever seen a quarrel? Or you might be involved.
Rules of procedure should assist a meeting, not inhibit it. A meeting with-out rules
of procedure becomes unruly, wild, and disorder, accomplishing very little or even none
at all. It is, therefore, imperative that a particular rule of procedure be followed to govern
the entire duration of the meeting.
Wanting more, the set rules of procedure being adopted by an assembly should not
stifle, derail, or disturb the flow of the meeting. It should rather facilitate the conduct of
the meeting for greater, meaningful, and far-reaching results.
2. A meeting can deal with only one matter at a time. Only one issue can be
discussed at a time. This is called the Singularity of the Subject in a meeting. The
various kinds of motions have therefore been assigned an order of precedence. A time-
honored principle in law-making that there should be only one subject of law applies in
the conduct of meetings. One topic or agendum is tackled at a time. Multiple topics at a
time result in chaos, disorder, and misunderstanding among participants because of the
lack of focus. It advised that the agendum being discussed should be disposed of properly
before a new topic is introduced.
3. All members have equal rights, privileges, and obligations. All members have
equal and basic rights — the right to vote, the right to be heard, and the right to oppose.
One of the chairperson's main responsibilities is to use the authority of the chair to
ensure that all people attending a meeting are treated equally--for example, not to permit
a vocal few to dominate the debates or grandstanding. This is where the tenets of
democracy play and the principles of law that all members are equal before the law, all
are equal as to rights, privileges, and opportunities. Conversely, one must have to do the
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obligations appurtenant to such rights and privileges. Rights and privileges create
obligations.

4. A majority vote decides an issue.

In any group, each member agrees to be governed by the vote of the majority.
Parliamentary rules enable a meeting to determine the will of the majority of those
attending a meeting. This is popularly called the Rule of the Majority. Majority rules, this
is true and right to follow or implement. The majority by the way means one-half of the
whole membership plus one. The wisdom behind the Majority Rule is for the proper
adoption of a decision and the democratic and rightful disposition of motions or agenda.
It means the adoption of a greater number of the members of the decision made by the
assembly. A vote by the majority validates and legalizes the decision taken.
5. The rights of the minority must be protected at all times.
Although the ultimate decision rests with the majority, all members have such basic
rights as the right to be heard and the right to oppose. The rights of all members--majority
and minority--should be the concern of every member, for a person may be in a majority
on one question but a minority on the next.
The rights of the minority should be protected. In the division of the house, even
when it is obvious that the majority have or wins, the minority should be counted because
this is the basis for the final pronouncement by the chairperson of the results.
By counting the votes of the minority, they are being recognized as members of the
assembly and given equal rights and privileges in the assembly. The non-recognition of
the minority might lead to disappointment, disenfranchisement, and disgruntlement
which will lead to the majority being tyrannical, abusive in their use of power and
authority, and to have virtual control of the assembly sidelining and undermining the
basic tenets of democracy.
The majority without the fiscalizers will become ruthless and monopolizes power.
In such, scenario, the assembly or an institution will be corrupt, tyrannical, and abusive
without regard to the rights of all those who try to correct, oppose, and fiscalize the
situation. Fiscalizers are not bad oppositionists in the real and strict meaning of the term.
They are the vanguards and watchdogs to the group in power for checks and balances.
6. Every matter presented for the decision should be discussed fully. Every member
can speak to the issue on the floor; however, no one can speak a second time as long as
another wants to speak the first time.
The right of every member to speak on any issue is as important as each member's
right to vote. Public discourse or debates was utilized by the Romans in discussing issues
in public. It creates awareness among people which will lead to inquiries, responses,
knowledge, and understanding. The essence of public discourse is to put across the issues
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before the public for scrutiny and critiquing and to level the ground as spring-board for
full understanding. Public awareness of important public issues creates a more vibrant
atmosphere for wider public participation, opinion, and decision-making. These are the
hallmark of a healthy democracy.
Limited discussion creates half-baked knowledge and results in poor or limited
understanding. Understanding issues will lead to full participation and finally to lesser
resistance.
7. Every member has the right to understand the meaning of any question presented
to a meeting and to know what effect a decision will have.
A member always has the right to request information on any motion he or she does
not thoroughly understand. The right to understand is a paramount right to any member
for a better understanding of issues or questions especially before the division of the
house. In-order for the members to participate meaningfully in the disposition of motions,
they must be thoroughly knowledgeable of the question for decision. This is one way of
minimizing undue influence by the more knowledgeable members. Knowledge is power.
8. No member can speak until recognized by the chairperson. It is a fundamental
requirement in a parliamentary procedure that a member can only speak when recognized
by the chair. It is very discourteous for anyone to stand and speak for it might disrupt the
whole proceeding.
No power or authority can prohibit one from speaking, however; speaking is limited
by time and space. Strictly speaking, speaking in an assembly is limited by the
parliamentary procedure because the purpose is to lessen unnecessary speaking which
might derail the entire process. Everyone, if possible, should be heard in an assembly to
form a well-informed group for an intelligent decision.
9. The chairperson is strictly impartial. The presiding officer’s main function is to
see to it that the meeting is orderly. He should not make any insinuation that he favors a
particular motion. The partiality of the chair will lead to disappointment and will
demotivate members in participating in the meeting. The Chair must be fair, just, and not
bias to ensure a smooth flow of the meeting. There should be no filibustering, flexing of
wings, domination, and blatant disregard for the rights of other members.

Fundamental Principles in Parliamentary Procedure

The fundamental principles to be observed in a parliamentary procedure are
(Oreinden, 2016):
a. EQUALITY – members have equal rights (i.e. to vote, to be voted upon, join in
the debate, discuss, decide or exercise any prerogative attached to their membership and
obligations.). The essence of infusing equality in parliamentary procedure is to remove
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the dichotomy of the majority and minority as far as opportunities are concern. Every
member is treated as equal to another.
b. THE WILL OF THE MAJORITY WILL BE CARRIED OUT – that is the
decision of the majority is the assembly’s decision. No member should invoke the
defends that he is not covered by the decision because he voted against the motion.
c. MINORITY MUST BE PROTECTED – Minority’s vote may not be disregarded,
but it must abide by the assembly’s decision. The decision of the minority must be
honored and given the proper recognition. Some time, the minority’s decision will be the
majority. This will happen when the minority’s decision is adopted by a bigger number.
d. SINGULARITY OF SUBJECT – only one subject may claim the attention of the
assembly at one time. To prevent chaos and misunderstanding, one subject is address at a
time. One motion must contain one subject.
e. FREE DISCUSSION – full and free debate must be allowed to every question,
proposal, proposition, and resolution. It is only in free discourse that issues are
understood and made clearer.
f. EVERY MOTION MUST BE VOTED UPON – that is, all members are free to
vote on all questions except certain motions like the point of order, point of information,
or point of parliamentary inquiry where the chair is the one to decide.
g. GROUP INTEREST MUST PREVAIL – that is, personality and private interest a
member should be subordinate to that of the organization. The member surrenders part of
his rights once a member of any organization. Organizational rules and regulations shall
prevail.
h. IMPARTIALITY AND FAIRNESS – the presiding officer must be impartial and
that justice and equality to all are observed at all times. The presiding officer has never
vested the power or authority to side with anyone else or on issues or motions, neither to
influence any member to vote for or against any motion before the assembly. He is tasked
to break or create a tie. If a presiding officer wishes to join the debate, he must appoint a
presiding officer on his behalf.
i. DECORUM – courtesy and due consideration to others must be observed.
Discourtesy is not in the vocabulary of Parliamentary Law. Respect is paramount and
most vital in parliamentary law. Assemblies are the home of civil people, especially in
the conduct of their affairs.
j. BUSINESS-LIKE PROCEDURES – all transactions of the assembly are handled
in a business-like manner. Professionalism is demanded in the conduct of meetings in
assemblies. The assembly is not an avenue to avenge, insult, or undress people but a
forum to discuss novel and marvelous ideas to farther the noble intentions of the
assembly.
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Remember that parliamentary procedure is not intended to complicate the

proceedings but rather hasten or facilitate the work of deliberative bodies.
Procedural Parliamentary Practice
1. One Speaker Speaks at a Time. The rules of order about who may get the floor to
speak and when a speaker may be interrupted all derive from the simple rule that if any of
the members are to be heard then only one member should speak at a time. If someone is
speaking then others should be quiet. If another feels it is important enough to interrupt,
hopefully, that person will know the rule that allows him or her to interrupt. But if the
person feels the need to interrupt is important and doesn't know the rule, then the member
may always make a parliamentary inquiry to ask the chair if there is a rule that allows for
an interruption for that purpose. The chair has to assist members with understanding the
rules and finding the appropriate rule to assist the member's participation.
2. One Question is Decided at a Time. A question is a motion. People need to know
what issue is being discussed and when and how it will be decided. All the rules about
considering motions and their rank in order are made to avoid confusion about which
question the group is discussing and deciding. The basic rule is that only one question is
considered at a time in the order of being raised. If one question is being debated but
another question develops that would have an important impact on the first question, then
the rules provide a way for the subsidiary question to be decided before the main
question. Also, when important questions arise that are not about the main question but
must be asked and answered before the group can continue, these privileged or incidental
questions may be considered while the main or subsidiary question is pending. By
making a parliamentary inquiry any member may ask the chair if their question has any
precedence over the immediately pending question. When one question has precedence,
all other pending questions are stacked to be decided in order.
3. The Speaker Must be Respectful. The rules of order are fundamentally about
respecting each member of a group so that the group can get decisions made in as quick
and as fair a manner as possible, considering the size of the group and the urgency of the
question. Decorum is a significant factor in helping questions be decided expeditiously,
ethically, and impartially. The rules of decorum embody the principle that each member
of a group has an equal right to attempt to persuade the other members that his or her
view of a question is correct or best for the group. A member's attempt to persuade the
group is debate. Fair debate requires each member to show respect for the other members.
The disrespectful debate takes unfair advantage of the right to persuade. The name-
calling, personalizing, shouting down, or other types of disrespect are not appropriate
means of persuasion. The chair must call to order any disrespectful member. Also, any
member may raise a point of order to call to order another member who breaches
decorum. The chair should direct the offending member to proper conduct. If a member
continues to be disorderly after correction, the chair or any member may ask the group to
discipline the member, including asking for an apology or ejecting the member for the
remainder of the meeting. Since the conduct occurred in the meeting there is no need for
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a formal disciplinary trial. But if a member continues to act disrespectfully and that
conduct reflects badly on the group or interferes with the group's ability to conduct
business, then the ultimate discipline of being expelled from membership in the
organization may be decided after a trial according to the bylaws or the rules of
parliamentary procedure adopted by the organization.
4. Everyone's Rights are Protected by Balancing Them with Each Other. The
whole design of the rules of parliamentary procedure is created to balance the rights of
the members. The interests balanced by the rules are those 1) of the majority, 2) of the
minority, 3) of the individual member, 4) of the absentee members, and, 5) of all
together.
For example, the simple majority vote for most main questions protects the
majority's right to get business done. A two-thirds majority vote protects the rights of a
minority larger than one-third when certain significant questions are considered. The
rules requiring or not requiring a second protect the rights of the individual or the
minority to consider or prevent consideration of certain questions. The rules of quorum
and notice protect the absentee members. By having the common sense understanding of
whose rights are being protected by any particular rule, both the member and the group
will appreciate the rule and how the rule operates within the greater scheme of applying
the rules to particular circumstances. Knowing that the rules are balanced to protect
everyone's rights, not just the majority or just a minority, helps members appreciate why
the rules are elaborated.

Parliamentary Courtesies
Courtesies are expected of all members. Being courteous or respectful is demanded
by all members. It is very popular that “respect begets respect”, so, “courtesy begets
courtesy.” Want to be respected? Then respect others. Confucius is resoundingly clear.
“Thou shall not do to others what you do not want others to do to you.”
Courtesies in Deliberative Assembly
1. Stand when addressing the president, as in making a motion, discussing a question
before the house, or making a committee report.
2. Address the president as “Mr. Chairman” or Mr. President” or “Madam Chairman” or
“Madam President”
3. Sit down promptly when finished talking.
4. Do not speak during the business meeting except when addressing the chair and then
only after having been properly recognized.
5. Never talk or whisper to another member during the meeting.
6. Never stand to get recognition from the president when another member has the floor.
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7. Confine discussion to the question before the group.

8. Refer to an officer by her official title, to members by “the member who spoke last”
or otherwise designate members. DO NOT CALL MEMBERS BY THEIR NAMES. NO
NAME-CALLING and MUD-SLINGING.
9. Willingly accept the decision of the majority.
10. Be punctual for any meetings.
The following summarizes important points from Robert's Rules of Order. Other
parliamentary rules or your own council rules of procedure may contain different
provisions.
1. Only one subject may be before a group at one time. Each item to be considered is
proposed as a motion which usually requires a "second" before being put to a vote. Once
a motion is made and seconded, the chair places the question before the council by
restating the motion.
2. Motions that are "Negative" are generally not permitted. To dispose of a business
item, the motion should be phrased as a positive action to take, and then, if the group
desires not to take this action, the motion should be voted down. The exception to this
rule is when a governing body is asked to take action on a request and wishes to create a
record as to why the denial is justified.
3. Only one person may speak at any given time. When a motion is on the floor, an
order of speaking is prescribed by Robert's Rules, allowing the mover of a motion to
speak first, so that the group understands the basic premise of the motion. The mover is
also the last to speak so that the group has an opportunity to consider rebuttals to any
arguments opposing the motion.
4. All members have equal rights. Each speaker must be recognized by the
moderator before speaking. Each speaker should make clear his or her intent by stating,
"I wish to speak for/against the motion" before starting the arguments.
5. Each item presented for consideration is entitled to a full and free debate. Each
person speaks once until everyone else has had an opportunity to speak.
6. The rights of the minority must be protected, but the will of the majority must
prevail. Persons who don't share the point of view of the majority have a right to have
their ideas presented for consideration, but ultimately the majority will determine what
the council will or will not do. Use a parliamentary procedure as a tool, not a bludgeon.
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LESSON ACTIVITIES

Name: _________________________________________________________________

Course/Year/Section: _____________________________________________________

Instructor/Professor: _____________________________________________________

Date of Submission: ______________________________________________________

Activity I

Directions: Write inside the box words similar in meaning with the word found at the
center-box. Use in a sentence the mother word. The sentence should be related to
Parliamentary Procedure. Write the sentence in the line provided. A clean and neat work
is good to see.

Courteous

Sentence: ___________________________________________________________
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Procedure

Sentence: ______________________________________________________

Minority

Sentence: ____________________________________________________
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LESSON ACTIVITIES

Name: _________________________________________________________________

Course/Year/Section: _____________________________________________________

Instructor/Professor: _____________________________________________________

Date of Submission: ______________________________________________________

Activity II

Directions: INDIVIDUAL WORK. Identify the fundamental principles or courtesies

described in each of the items below. Write your answers on the line provided. A clean
and neat work is awarded.
______________________ 1. All members are given opportunity to voice their ideas on
issues.
______________________ 2. Allow the motion mover to speak first, so that the
members will understand the intent of the motion.
______________________ 3. All members in an assembly have the right to vote or be
voted upon.
_____________________ 4. The votes to the minority should be counted.
_____________________ 5. Meeting should be conducted in the highest professional
level.
_____________________ 6. The minority should accept the decision of the majority.
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_____________________ 7. A member should come early when attending meeting.

_____________________ 8. The meeting is not a place of disrespectful individuals.
____________________ 9. Members should not be selfish and self-centered.
____________________ 10. Issues should be fully discussed in the meeting for better
enlightenment.
___________________ 11. There should be one topic at a time to be deliberated upon.
__________________ 12. Each person speaks once, until everyone else has had an
opportunity to speak.
__________________ 13. What should I do before I speak in an assembly?
__________________ 14. How will I call my colleagues in the assembly?
__________________ 15. How will I address the one presiding the meeting of the
assembly?
__________________ 16. What will I do after delivering my piece in a deliberative
assembly?
__________________ 17. The decision of the majority is the assembly’s decision and all
members should adhere to such decision.
__________________ 18. What will I do when not called upon by the presiding officer?
__________________ 19. Can I whisper to my neighbors while the meeting is on-going?
__________________ 20. Can I stand to be recognized by the presiding officer?
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LESSON ACTIVITIES

Name: _________________________________________________________________

Course/Year/Section: _____________________________________________________

Instructor/Professor: _____________________________________________________

Date of Submission: ______________________________________________________

Activity III

Directions: INDIVIDUAL WORK. Answer the questions logically and intelligently. A

well written essay is most appreciated.
1. Is it important to learn Parliamentary Procedure? Why?
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2. As a member, what benefits will you derive in the use of Parliamentary Procedure
in your organization?
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3. As a member of an organization, what must you do to be a member of good

standing?
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