The House of Representatives is keen on passing “more quality legislation” aimed at uplifting the socioeconomic condition of the people as Congress’ Third Regular Session opens on July 23, in time for President Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address.
House Deputy Speaker and Cebu City Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia said the 17th Congress under Speaker Pataleon Alvarez had productive first and second regular sessions where 120 measures were passed.
“We expect that number to increase further as we have already ratified a few bicameral conference committee reports and there are several measures that remain unacted on by bicameral conference committees,” Garcia said.
Garcia added several of the priority measures had been identified by the administration in the common legislative agenda as agreed on by the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Committee.
“There are a few more measures in this list that are still pending before the respective House committees and we are optimistic we could fulfill our commitment to approve these during the Third Regular Session. There could be some additional items in our legislative agenda that may be identified after the President’s Sona,” Garcia said.
One of the last measures the House approved before adjourning sine die last May 30 was the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law.
“The approval of BBL is an affirmation of our support to the President who believes the legislation is crucial to securing lasting peace in Mindanao which is now facing threats from Islamist extremists. The BBL bill is currently under deliberation by the bicameral conference committee and we expect to ratify it by July 23 to be presented to President Duterte on the same day for his signature,” Garcia added.
The House also expects to receive the administration’s proposal for the 2019 General Appropriations Act shortly after the Monday’s Sona so that the House could start deliberations on the proposed budget for next year.
“With the budget deliberations expected to take up the bulk of our time for the remaining months of 2018, the House faces a huge challenge in approving the pending priority legislations,” she said.
“But as the House had shown in the past two regular sessions, we possess the determination and the will to fulfill our responsibility to pass meaningful laws to bring about meaningful change in the lives of our people,” Garcia said.
Aside from passing the priority administration measures pending at the House of Representatives, Garcia said one of the biggest challenges they face was the amendment of the 1987 Constitution for a shift to a federal system of government.
The consultative committee tasked to prepare a draft Federal Constitution has completed its job and submitted the draft to Duterte.
Last week, the Speaker formally received a copy of the draft Federal Constitution from the members of the Con-Com led by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno.
“But let me note the position of Speaker Alvarez and the House leadership that the work of the Con-Com is merely recommendatory. Such position is in accordance with the 1987 Constitution which prescribes only three modes of amending the Charter, namely, through a constitutional convention, through Congress acting as a constituent assembly, or through the so-called people’s initiative,” Garcia said.
The House had passed a joint resolution to convene Congress into a constituent assembly. It is Congress acting as such that would determine the final draft of the federal charter to be presented to the Filipino people for ratification, she stressed.
Alvarez said the House leadership would have to revisit its present timetable to find out how to attend to he lawmakers’ legislative duties, particularly the consideration of the 2019 budget, and the task of amending the Constitution given the additional complication posed by the mid-term elections in 2019.
“But even before the Con-Com was created, the House committee on Constitutional amendments has been working continuously to prepare our own draft of a federal system based on numerous public consultations as well as the draft submitted by the PDP Federalism Institute,” Garcia said.
Among the ratified bicameral conference committee reports awaiting Mr. Duterte’s signature are the law on Strengthening Compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHS); Filipino Identification System; Retirement Benefits System in the Office of Ombudsman; and Strengthening Legal Framework for Creation, Perfection, Determination of Priority Rights and Enforcement of Security Interests in Personal Property.
From 25 July 2016 up to 11 July 2018 the House of Representatives processed 2,929 measures in 183 session days, for an average of 16 measures processed per session a day.
Out of these measures, 133 were enacted into law within the period, 38 of which were bills of national importance, 93 local bills, and two joint resolutions of Congress.
Among the most significant measures that have been enacted into law during the period were the Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act; Free Irrigation Services Act; An Act Strengthening the “Anti-Hospital Deposit Law”; Ease of Doing Business Act; An Act Extending the Validity of Philippine Passports; An Act Extending the Validity Period of Drivers’ Licenses; and Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN).
After Congress adjourned sine die on May 30, Duterte signed into law various measures ratified by the bicameral conference committee.
These include the Philippine Mental Health Act; Strengthening the Balik-Scientist Program; National School Feeding Law ; Expanding the National Integrated Protected Areas System; 5) Electric Cooperatives Resiliency Fund; and Anti-Hazing Act of 2018.
Garcia said the House also ratified a total of five bicameral conference reports on four national bills and one local bill. Still pending consideration by the bicameral conference committee are eight national bills and eight local bills.
House Deputy Speaker and Cebu City Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia said the 17th Congress under Speaker Pataleon Alvarez had productive first and second regular sessions where 120 measures were passed.
“We expect that number to increase further as we have already ratified a few bicameral conference committee reports and there are several measures that remain unacted on by bicameral conference committees,” Garcia said.
Garcia added several of the priority measures had been identified by the administration in the common legislative agenda as agreed on by the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Committee.
“There are a few more measures in this list that are still pending before the respective House committees and we are optimistic we could fulfill our commitment to approve these during the Third Regular Session. There could be some additional items in our legislative agenda that may be identified after the President’s Sona,” Garcia said.
One of the last measures the House approved before adjourning sine die last May 30 was the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law.
“The approval of BBL is an affirmation of our support to the President who believes the legislation is crucial to securing lasting peace in Mindanao which is now facing threats from Islamist extremists. The BBL bill is currently under deliberation by the bicameral conference committee and we expect to ratify it by July 23 to be presented to President Duterte on the same day for his signature,” Garcia added.
The House also expects to receive the administration’s proposal for the 2019 General Appropriations Act shortly after the Monday’s Sona so that the House could start deliberations on the proposed budget for next year.
“With the budget deliberations expected to take up the bulk of our time for the remaining months of 2018, the House faces a huge challenge in approving the pending priority legislations,” she said.
“But as the House had shown in the past two regular sessions, we possess the determination and the will to fulfill our responsibility to pass meaningful laws to bring about meaningful change in the lives of our people,” Garcia said.
Aside from passing the priority administration measures pending at the House of Representatives, Garcia said one of the biggest challenges they face was the amendment of the 1987 Constitution for a shift to a federal system of government.
The consultative committee tasked to prepare a draft Federal Constitution has completed its job and submitted the draft to Duterte.
Last week, the Speaker formally received a copy of the draft Federal Constitution from the members of the Con-Com led by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno.
“But let me note the position of Speaker Alvarez and the House leadership that the work of the Con-Com is merely recommendatory. Such position is in accordance with the 1987 Constitution which prescribes only three modes of amending the Charter, namely, through a constitutional convention, through Congress acting as a constituent assembly, or through the so-called people’s initiative,” Garcia said.
The House had passed a joint resolution to convene Congress into a constituent assembly. It is Congress acting as such that would determine the final draft of the federal charter to be presented to the Filipino people for ratification, she stressed.
Alvarez said the House leadership would have to revisit its present timetable to find out how to attend to he lawmakers’ legislative duties, particularly the consideration of the 2019 budget, and the task of amending the Constitution given the additional complication posed by the mid-term elections in 2019.
“But even before the Con-Com was created, the House committee on Constitutional amendments has been working continuously to prepare our own draft of a federal system based on numerous public consultations as well as the draft submitted by the PDP Federalism Institute,” Garcia said.
Among the ratified bicameral conference committee reports awaiting Mr. Duterte’s signature are the law on Strengthening Compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHS); Filipino Identification System; Retirement Benefits System in the Office of Ombudsman; and Strengthening Legal Framework for Creation, Perfection, Determination of Priority Rights and Enforcement of Security Interests in Personal Property.
From 25 July 2016 up to 11 July 2018 the House of Representatives processed 2,929 measures in 183 session days, for an average of 16 measures processed per session a day.
Out of these measures, 133 were enacted into law within the period, 38 of which were bills of national importance, 93 local bills, and two joint resolutions of Congress.
Among the most significant measures that have been enacted into law during the period were the Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act; Free Irrigation Services Act; An Act Strengthening the “Anti-Hospital Deposit Law”; Ease of Doing Business Act; An Act Extending the Validity of Philippine Passports; An Act Extending the Validity Period of Drivers’ Licenses; and Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN).
After Congress adjourned sine die on May 30, Duterte signed into law various measures ratified by the bicameral conference committee.
These include the Philippine Mental Health Act; Strengthening the Balik-Scientist Program; National School Feeding Law ; Expanding the National Integrated Protected Areas System; 5) Electric Cooperatives Resiliency Fund; and Anti-Hazing Act of 2018.
Garcia said the House also ratified a total of five bicameral conference reports on four national bills and one local bill. Still pending consideration by the bicameral conference committee are eight national bills and eight local bills.
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