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Review and Outlook
Measures in the
pipeline
Congress adjourned for recess on 6 September 2002 and
will resume sessions on 30 September. Just before recess,
the Senate was able to approve on Third Reading the
Magna Carta for Countryside and Barangay Business Enterprises
(SB 1855) but left pending the Special Purpose Asset
Vehicles Act (SB 2116), Securitization Act (SB 2095),
Department of Housing and Urban Development Act (SB
2133), the Absentee Voting Act (SB 2104), Dual Citizenship
Act (SB 2130), and an amendment of the Electric Power
Industry Reform Act (SB 2140) all pending in Second
Reading.
Other bills pending Second Reading
are the Ombudsman Act (SB 1945), Judiciary Salary Standardization
coverage exemption (SB 2018), Civil Service Code (SB
2132), National Land Use Act (SB 1944), Clean Water
Act (SB 2115), and the Sustainable Management of Forest
Act (SB 1942).
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives passed on Third
Reading its versions of the SPAV (HB 4403), Securitization
Act (HB 4453), Department of Housing Act (HB 4517),
and the National Transmission Corp. Franchise Act [TRANSCO]
(HB 4882). Left pending on Second Reading were the Health
Maintenance Organizations Act (HB 4666), Electric Power
Industry Reform Act amendment (HB 4847), and an act
eliminating Documentary Stamp Tax on secondary trading
of financial instruments (HB 2266).
In the last State of the Nation Address, President Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo promised to convene more meetings with
the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council
(LEDAC). She also asked Congress to approve the following
bills: 1) Anti-terrorism Law; 2) Farm land accepted
as collateral 3) Special Purpose Asset Vehicles Act;
4) Absentee Voting Act; 5) Dual Citizenship Act; and
6) TRANSCO franchise.
Senate reshuffles chairmanships
On 12 August 2002, senators elected new committee chairmen
to positions that had been left vacant following internal
fights in the Senate in early June. Senators Franklin
Drilon and Loren Legarda-Leviste retained their posts
of Senate President and Majority Floor Leader, respectively.
Sen. Juan Flavier assumed the position of Senate President
Pro-Tempore while Sen. Vicente Sotto III assumed the
position of Minority Floor Leader.
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