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The Senate under Manuel Villar has been criticized for engaging in
too many congressional inquiries, especially during the height of
the ZTE controversy. But credit should go to the management style of
the leadership. It was able to come up with a number of bills during
its first regular session.
Many of these bills now await approval by the
House or have already been signed into law by President Gloria
Arroyo. (And on the matter of coordination between the Senate and
the executive, this has been improved with the activation of the
Legislative-Executive Development Council, or LEDAC.)
Senate President Manuel Villar said the Senate
approval of a record number of more than 30 bills on second and
third reading is highlighted by nine key measures that would help
uplift the plight of the Filipino masses during these difficult
economic times.
It was further noted that in the past, approval
of bills does not usually happen during the first regular session.
Approval is only during the second or third sessions.
In comparison to the record 30 bills approved
during the first regular session under the present Senate, there
were only 16 bills approved in the first regular session of the 12th
Congress. Only eight bills were passed in the same period of the
13th Congress.
From July 2007 to May 31 this year, the Senate
and its various committees conducted a total of 342 public hearings,
22 of which were related to the oversight functions of Congress to
investigate allegations of graft and corruption in government.
During the same period, the Office of the Senate President has filed
333 bills and resolutions.
Despite some nervous moments about the direction
of the ZTE investigation by three committees of the Senate, I think
it was positive on the whole. For instance, there is now a consensus
that the mode of procurement by the government, as they relate to
foreign entities, could be rationalized.
“We believe these bills will play an important
role in our campaign to improve the lives of the Filipino people in
the face of widespread poverty and high prices of food and other
basic commodities,” Villar says.
He adds: “I am happy to report to the nation,
that despite the unwarranted criticisms, the Senate labored on and
fulfilled its mandate to legislate measures designed to alleviate
the plight of the masses.”
Of the more than 30 approved bills, Villar
considers about nine measures that are vital to the life of the
nation and the people.
• R. A. No 9501 (S. B. No. 1646)—Promoting
Entrepreneurship by Strengthening the Development and Assistance
Programs to Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises.
The new law encourages the establishments of
micro, small and medium enterprises and ensures their continuing
viability through entrepreneurship and skills development programs.
• R. A. No. 9502 (S. B. 1658)—Providing for
Quality Affordable Medicines, which effectively aims to lower
medicine prices in the country and make it within the reach of poor
Filipinos.
• S. B. No. 1662—Providing for Additional
Benefits and Protection to Housekeepers (Kasambahay).
This bill mandates employers to provide a
written employment contract in a language known to the housekeepers,
which shall include their fixed number of working hours, regular day
offs, sleeping quarter arrangements, and their annual salary
increase.
• S. B. No. 1882—Establishing a Provident
Personal Savings Plan, Known as the Personal Equity and Retirement
Account (PERA)
This bill aims to promote capital market
development and savings mobilization by establishing a legal and
mandatory framework of retirement plans for persons, comprised of
voluntary personal savings and investments.
• S. B. No 1648—Extending the Agricultural
Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF)
This bill extends the ACEF program, which
provides funds for irrigation, farm to market roads, post harvest
equipments, and other farming facilities to enhance the
competitiveness of Philippine agriculture.
• R. A. No 9499 (S. B. 1659)—Allowing
Filipino World War II veterans to Continue Receiving Philippine
Government Pensions and Benefits even when Similar Pensions and
Benefits are provided by the US government.
This bill mandates the government to provide
pensions and benefits to World War II veterans similar to what they
are receiving from the US government.
• S.B. No 2293—An Act Amending Sections 22,
24, 34, 35, 51 and 79 of Republic Act No. 8424, as Amended,
otherwise known as the National Revenue Code of 1997.
This bill seeks to increase the take home pay of
the minimum wage earners by providing them more tax exemptions.
• S. B. No 2408—Providing for Additional
Support and Compensation for Educators in Basic Education; and,
• R. A. 9504—An Act Amending Sections 22,
24, 34, 35 and 79 of Republic Act 8424, as Amended, otherwise known
as the National Internal Revenue Code of 1987.
The law exempts minimum wage earners in the
private sector and their counterparts in the public sector from
paying income tax.
The bills listed above are laws and proposed
laws that have an impact on the people and many economic sectors.
They should also put to rest criticisms that the Senate has reneged
on its lawmaking functions.
jules42na@yahoo.com
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