No less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo called for the session to consider the following urgent measures: the Human Security Act, Half-Price Medicine Bill (Amending the Intellectual Property Code to allow the importation and early development of patented medicines), the One-Time Tax Amnesty, and the Fiscal Incentives Act.
Only the Human Security Act (RA 9372) and the One-Time Tax Amnesty (RA 9399) were passed into law. Aside from the bills in the agenda, the President also signed into law the Amendments to the Bases Conversion and Development Law (RA 9400) and Strengthening the Public Attorney’s Office (RA 9406).
The recent passage of these laws only marginally improved the House’s legislative performance. A summary of laws passed in the 13th Congress reveal that only a third of the total passed (28 of 86 laws or 32.6%) were of national importance.
Other laws of national importance passed by Congress from January to March 2007 include:
- The Biofuels Act (RA 9367)
- Automated Elections Act (RA 9369)
- Defining Handline Fishing (RA 9379)
- Redefining the Term Veteran (RA 9396)
- No Bidding Sale of Government-Owned Properties to its Occupants for Socialized Housing (RA 9397)
- The 2007 General Appropriations Act (RA 9401)
- Declaring Any Form of Cheating in Civil Service Examinations as Unlawful (RA 9416)
The House also approved 20 bills in the two-day Special Session, including the creation of the Personal Equity and Retirement Account (PERA) to encourage savings among Filipinos and mobilize the same for economic advancement.
Still awaiting the signature of the President are the Anti-Red Tape Act (SB 2589 and HB 3776), the Lending Company Regulation Act (SB 1949 and HB 6073), and the Personal Equity and Retirement Account Act (SB 2233 and HB 6078).
The Credit Information System Act (HB 5948 and SB 1936) and the Amendment to the Customs Brokers Act (HB 4623 and SB 2597) are expected for ratification when session resumes 4 June, before adjourning again on 8 June.
