MANILA, Philippines?Congress will make sure the proper procedures are observed in proclaiming Wednesday the new leaders of the country, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said Tuesday.

"What we are doing involves the life of the republic. We're proclaiming a ruler and a vice rule and its necessary we do it in the proper respectful way,'' Enrile said over dzMM radio, a few hours before the joint Congressional canvassing committee, which he co-chairs, was to convene and count the last certificate of canvass for president and vice president.

Enrile was asked why it would still take one more day before Congress would proclaim the new president and vice president and not right after all votes were canvassed by the joint committee supposedly Tuesday.

Explaining the procedure, Enrile said a committee report still has to be prepared which would detail what happened during the canvassing as well as the issues that were raised there.

All these should be put down on the report so that there would be clarity and transparency and that this could be recorded in the history books, according to the Senate president.

The committee report will be presented in a joint resolution and will be sponsored on the floor by Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, he added.

Then a viva voce, or voice vote, is called where senators and congressmen would be asked to respond either with an aye or a nay.

The Senate president said the winners of the president and vice president will be proclaimed thereafter.

Any questions or explanation of votes would come after the proclamation, Enrile said.

Enrile said these procedures should be observed otherwise "it defeats the dignity and stature of the people that will be installed as president and vice president.''

"We will not do this as if this was a beauty contest,'' Enrile also said.