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Review and Outlook
Senate approves absentee voting
bill
The Senate approved SB 2104 (Overseas Absentee Voters’
Act of 2002) on third reading on 23 October. A total of 17
senators voted in favor of the bill (Senators Angara, Aquino-Oreta,
Biazon, De Castro, Drilon, Ejercito-Estrada, Flavier, Honasan,
Jaworski, Lacson, Legarda-Leviste, Magsaysay, Jr., Osmeña,
J., Osmeña, S., Pangilinan, Pimentel and Sotto). Senator
Arroyo voted against the bill while Senator Recto abstained.
The approved measure allows all citizens of the Philippines
abroad to vote for president, vice-president, senators, and
party-list representatives. Absentee voters will be allowed
to send the accomplished ballot by mail to the diplomatic
or consular post in the country he lives in. The bill also
allows unregistered voters to file for registration abroad.
The House version (HB 3570) was approved on third reading
on 21 October. Voting in favor were 135 congressmen, nine
against, and no abstentions. The approved version provides
qualified overseas Filipinos—who have not renounced Philippine
citizenship—the right to vote in all national elections.
Unlike the Senate version, HB 3570 prohibits personal campaigning
overseas by any candidate and political organization. Moreover,
the measure allows citizens abroad to vote only for president
and vice-president.
Senate approves SPAV bill and
dual citizenship bill
On 24 October, the Senate approved SBs 2116 and 2130 on third
reading. SB 2116, formerly known as the Special Asset Vehicles
Act (SPAV), is now referred to as the Special Asset Management
Companies (SAMC) Act of 2002, following an amended copy filed
by the Senate Committee on Ways and Means on 14 October. Sixteen
senators voted in favor of the bill (Senators Angara, Biazon,
De Castro, Drilon, Ejercito-Estrada, Flavier, Honasan, Jaworski,
Lacson, Legarda-Leviste, Magsaysay, Jr. Osmeña, J.,
Osmeña, S., Pangilinan, Recto and Sotto). Senators
Aquino-Oreta and Pimentel voted against the bill. No one abstained.
The bill enables banks to dispose their non-performing assets
that constitute 18% (worth 600 billion pesos) of the total
banking industry. The bill grants tax exemptions and fee privileges
to special asset management companies who acquire or invest
in non-performing assets.
SB 2130 is the Citizen Retention Act of 2002,
otherwise known as the dual citizenship bill. Sixteen senators
voted in favor of the bill (Senators Angara, Aquino-Oreta,
De Castro, Drilon, Ejercito-Estrada, Flavier, Honasan, Jaworski,
Lacson, Legarda-Leviste, Magsaysay, Jr., Osmeña, J.,
Osmeña, S., Pangilinan, Pimentel and Sotto). No one
voted against the bill but Senator Biazon abstained. This
bill enables Filipinos who have acquired foreign citizenship
but have not relinquished their Filipino citizenship to retain
the latter. This has implications on rights such as practicing
one’s legal profession, serving in national defense and
acquiring property such as land in the Philippines.
House passes Railways Act
HB 5051 (National Railways Act) was approved on Third
Reading on 8 October, with 127 congressmen voting in-favor,
none against and no abstentions. The bill creates an
integrated national railway system to provide an adequate
and efficient public transport system. It creates the
National Railway Authority (NRA) which will undertake
studies for the rehabilitation and construction of railway
lines from North to South. The Philippine National Railway
(PNR) and the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) will
be abolished, transferring all assets and properties
to the NRA.
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