House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said in a statement Tuesday that the important bills that Congress leaders have agreed to expedite focus on the following areas: economic development and trade; national security, public order and safety; promotion of good governance; revitalizing education and human resource competitiveness; enhancing social protection; expanding access to health to achieve higher productivity; and climate change adaptation.
“There are various legislative measures which really need to be given appropriate action, but we have to prioritize what could be listed as common concerns within a limited time frame,” the Speaker said.
Belmonte and other House leaders met with their Senate counterparts Monday to identify vital pieces of legislation whose passage could possibly be rushed within the remaining session days of the first regular session.
The 14 priority measures Congress plans to pass before June 13 are the following:
- Proposal to extend the corporate life of the Philippine National Railways (House Bill 4089)
- Mandating Telecommunications Service Providers to send free mobile alerts in the event of natural and man-made disasters and calamities (HB 353)
- Amendments to the Sandiganbayan Law
- Bill proposing reforms for the Sangguniang Kabataan
- Ladderized Education Program for post-secondary level (HB 3575)
- Act Providing for an Open High School System for out of school youth (HB 4085)
- Open Learning through Distance Education in Post Secondary and Tertiary Levels Act
- National Student Loan Program (UNIFAST) Act
- Special Education Center Act
- Iskolar ng Bayan Act
- Act Providing for mandatory PhilHealth coverage for all senior citizens
- Picture Based Health Warning Law
- Act Strengthening the Anti-Illegal Drugs Law (HB 2285)
- Amendment to the Fisheries Code
On the resumption of Congress Monday, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading 11 key proposed measures. One was HB 4111, which seeks to jail those who are guilty of committing election-related offenses such as vote-buying or vote-selling for up to 12 years.
Another was HB 4112, declaring the Tuesday immediately after the second Monday of May 2016 and every three years thereafter a non-working holiday since it is the day after the national and local elections.
The other proposed pieces of legislation approved by the House on Monday were:
- Act Strengthening Nation-building through the institutionalization of a strategic volunteerism-based multi-sectoral public-private partnership framework in all local government units and congressional districts (HB 1979)
- Act institutionalizing Industry Cluster-based program and projects through inter-local cooperation and people’s participation (HB 4032)
- Act Strengthening the rules on the proper use and display of our national symbols and the rendition of the National Anthem, amending for the purpose R.A. 8491, otherwise known as the ‘Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines (HB 4042)
- Act Strengthening Consumer Protection in the purchase of brand new motor vehicle (HB 4082)
- Act Recognizing the annual observance of the International Students’ Day, declaring for the purpose the 17th day of November every year as National Students’ Day in the Philippines (HB 4093)
- Act strengthening the balanced Housing Development Program, amending for the purpose R.A. 7279, entitled: “An Act to provide for a Comprehensive and Continuing Urban Development and Housing Program (HB 4116)
- Act Promoting the Development of Entrepreneurship skills among government employees to inspire innovativeness and to ensure their productivity even beyond government service (HB 4123)
- Act Reducing the Retirement Age of race Horse Jockeys from 60 to 55 (HB 4133)
- Act Declaring November 23rd of every year as ‘Philippine Press Freedom Day (HB 4128) — Xianne Arcangel/BM, GMA News
