INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025
Lastly, an amendment was a formal change or modification proposed to a motion, bill, or document to clarify,
improve, or alter its content before final approval. Amendments helped refine proposals by adding, deleting, or
substituting words to better reflect the in- tentions of the assembly. In parliamentary procedure, amendments had
to be debated and voted on before becoming part of the original motion. According to Convene (2025),
amendments are vital tools for organizations as they provide the necessary flexibility to revise existing rules,
policies, or official documents in order to respond to new develop- ments. These revisions enable organizations
to effectively address changes in trends, mar- ket conditions, and legal regulations, ensuring that their operations
remain current and practical. Through amendments, organizations are able to stay competitive and compliant,
adjusting their strategies and internal guidelines as circumstances evolve. Meanwhile, The Editors of
Encyclopaedia Britannica explain that, in the realm of government and law, an amendment refers to any formal
change or addition made to important legal texts such as constitutions, statutes, or legislative bills. These legal
modifications are essential for refin- ing, correcting, or enhancing existing provisions to better reflect the needs
and values of society. Overall, both perspectives highlight that amendments serve as key mechanisms for
adaptability, progress, and relevance—whether in organizational governance or in the legal and political sphere.
The research was anchored in the principles of Robert’s Rules of Order, a compre- hensive guide to parliamentary
procedure authored by Henry M. Robert III, Daniel H. Ho- nemann, Thomas J. Balch, Daniel E. Seabold, and
Shmuel Gerber. According to the Mu- nicipal Research and Services Center of Washington (MRSC) (2024),
parliamentary pro- cedure provided the process for proposing, amending, approving, and defeating legislative
motions. Even though using parliamentary procedure isn’t strictly required, it can help make council meetings
run more smoothly and lower the risk of decisions being challenged or declared invalid due to procedural
mistakes. A city can choose to create its own rules for how meetings are conducted through an ordinance or
resolution or it can officially fol- low established guidelines like Robert’s Rules of Order.
According to Rivas, J. M., Bohigues, A., and Colalongo, R. E. (2023), parliamen- tary practices and procedures
in the Philippines refer to structured approaches that promote fairness, order, and efficiency during meetings by
ensuring that motions, debates, and vot- ing follow recognized rules. These practices help safeguard the rights
of all members and support transparency in decision-making. The authors emphasize five developmental con-
texts of parliamentary procedure: the formalization of informal practices, the creation of clearer and more precise
rules, integration with bureaucratic systems, reliance on third- party bodies like courts for conflict resolution,
and greater awareness of the broader impact of decisions. Shaw (2020) supports this view by highlighting that
the evolution of parlia- mentary procedure is marked by similar trends aimed at improving uniformity and
account- ability. Shaw notes that clearer regulations limit ambiguity, and the growing role of legal institutions
reinforces structured conflict resolution. Together, these insights reflect how parliamentary governance has
transformed into a more organized, transparent, and legally responsive system.
As stated by Christoph Konrath (2021), the formalization of informal practices re- lated to the analysis presented
by Morlok. It came into play for a variety of reasons, such as when a previous underlying consensus could not
be upheld or was no longer shared or understood. This may have happened because of party fragmentation or a
rise in the num- ber of people within the system who could block decisions. It could also reflect a growing
demand for transparency, where actions need to be clear, explainable, and easy to verify. In the past, informal
practices worked because there was a shared, unspoken understanding that helped connect political goals with
legal requirements.
Formalizing previously informal parliamentary practices presented significant challenges. While it improved
consistency, it also limited the flexibility and interpretive freedom that informal systems previously allowed.
This shift required adherence to legal frameworks and broader legal scholarship, moving beyond individual
expert opinions or isolated procedural debates. According to Pekonen et al. (2024), this transformation aimed to
turn diverse and often conflicting viewpoints into productive, deliberative dialogue that deepened understanding
of agenda items from various perspectives. Konrath (2021) further argued that embedding parliamentary
procedures within administrative law can either strengthen democratic resilience or risk detaching these practices
from both the public and elected officials. Although the procedures may appear overly technical, they serve a
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