Unfinished Business
The 14th Congress opened with much controversy as with any session following an election, moreso, one that had an equally controversial precedent.
The 13th Congress was hounded by issues related to the controversial 2004 presidential elections which were marred by accusations that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo rigged the elections. Her allies at the House of Representatives successfully blocked the two impeachment attempts against her, the first in 2005 and the second in 2006.
Haunted by unresolved issues, a third impeachment complaint against the President was filed in 2007. Although this also proved unsuccessful, a wide rift formed within the ranks of the administration bloc.
The impeachment complaint was grounded on the allegation made by Jose De Venecia III, the son of then House Speaker Jose De Venecia Jr., that President Arroyo approved the controversial national broadband ZTE contract. Succeeding events led to Speaker De Venecia's removal from his post, with Rep. Prospero Nograles (Davao City, 1st district) taking over the leadership.
Controversies and issues may still be far from resolved, but in so far as law-making productivity is concerned, legislators seem to have learned from the previous Congress's experience.
A Harvest Handful
The first regular session (23 July 2007 - 13 June 2008) saw a total of nine laws of national application passed into law, while another one is already enrolled for the President's signature. This is an improvement over the four laws passed during the same period in the 13th Congress.
In terms of bills filed, the current Congress produced 2,414 Senate bills and 4,361 House bills before going on a sine die adjournment last 13 June. Of the Senate bills filed, 17 were approved on third reading. At the House, 2,455 of the bills filed were of national application, while 1,906 were local bills mostly seeking to establish national schools and roads in different localities. Of the said measures, 249 (52 national and 197 local bills) were approved on third reading by the House and are pending Senate action.
During the second Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting on 11 December, 11 measures were committed to be passed before the holiday break, but none were passed during the said period.
At the end of the first regular session however, six of the LEDAC measures were passed into law:
1. RA 9496, signed on 28 February, extends the use of the agricultural competitiveness enhancement fund (ACEF) to 2015 after it expired in 2007. ACEF aims to help the agricultural sector to become globally competitive by providing credit to small farmers and fisherfolks at zero-interest and with no collateral.
2. RA 9497, signed on 4 March, provides fiscal autonomy to the newly created Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to meet international aviation standards. In January, the United States’ Federal Aviation Authority downgraded the Philippines' rating after our airports failed in their air safety assessment and found the country lacking a civil aviation law.
3. RA 9498, signed on 12 March, provides for the P1.227-trillion national budget for 2008. The three departments that received the highest appropriations were the Department of Education (P140.24 billion), Department of Public Works and Highways (P94.73 billion), and Department of the Interior and Local Government (P53.24 billion).
4. RA 9500, signed on 29 April, amends the charter of the University of the Philippines to enhance and strengthen its capacity to support research and improve the facilities of the university, and provides for better compensation for the faculty.
5. RA 9501, signed on 23 May, the Magna Carta for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises which aims to provide for the growth and the development of the country's entrepreneurial sectors.
6. RA 9502, signed on 6 June, aims to provide affordable quality medicines to the public by encouraging competition in the local market through parallel importation. It also strengthens the regulatory capacity of the Bureau of Food and Drugs against substandard medicines. It also allows the President to impose price ceilings over certain drugs upon the recommendation of the Secretary of the Department of Health.
Two other laws not included in the LEDAC priority list were passed: RA 9503, enlarges the organizational structure of the Court of Tax Appeals by creating a third division of three Court of Tax Appeals Justices, which was signed on 12 June; and RA 9504, grants tax relief to minimum wage earners and higher income tax exemptions to individual taxpayers, which was signed on 17 June.
The other priority measures, however, are still in the pipeline.
1. Personal Equity Retirement Account (PERA) Act, enrolled copy for signature of the President
2. Credit Information System
HB 118 Juan Edgardo Angara PIC
HB 1731 Monico Puentevella PIC
HB 2443 Guillermo Cua PIC
SB 1881 Edgardo Angara A3R
3. Amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act
HB 3124 Juan Miguel Arroyo P2R
SB 2121 Juan Ponce Enrile P2R
4. General Amnesty (those who committed crimes against the state) no bill filed as of March 2008
5. Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) for Senate's ratification
Several other reform measures likewise are expected to move once the second session resumes on 28 July. Among these measures are: the Rationalization of Fiscal Incentives, the Financial Sector Taxes Rationalization, Land Administration Reform Act, and Freedom of Access to Information Act.
Legend:
PIC - Pending in Committee
P2R - Pending on Second Reading
A3R - Approved on Third Reading
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