The House of Representatives’ committee on government enterprises and privatization has formed a technical working group that will consolidate four bills declaring the Boy Scouts of the Philippines as a non-government organization.
Up for consolidation are House Bills 2232, 3212, 5411 and 7000. The committee chaired by Rep. Jesus Nonato Sacdalan of Manila named Rep. Rene Relampagos of Bohol as TWG head.
The House bills recognize the BSP as an independent, voluntary and autonomous organization. They also aim to institute a new charter for the BSP.
In filing HB 5411, AKO Bicol Party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr., said the BSP’s independence shall help install a more concrete institution to make it more attuned to the changing times and the growing challenges in the society.
Rep. Strike Revilla, author of HB 2232, said the BSP may be more developed to achieve its goals in the guidance and moral, civic and social development of children and youth in this rapidly changing world.
Relampagos, main author of HB 7000, said his proposal reflects the inputs of the BSP especially on restructuring its powers, duties and functions as a non-government entity auxiliary to the Philippines. He likened it to the newly enacted charter of the Philippine Red Cross under Republic Act No. 10072.
Rep. Evelina Escudero, author of HB 3212, said the autonomy of the BSP warrants a repeal of Commonwealth Act No. 111, also known as “An Act To Create A Public Corporation To Be Known As The Boy Scouts Of The Philippines, And To Define Its Powers And Purposes.”
With this, the BSP shall be given the freedom to be more responsive and adaptable to its internal needs, as it sees fit as a formal and organized corporation, said Escudero.
Under Section 3 of Commonwealth Act 111, the purpose of the BSP as a corporation shall be to “promote, through organization, and cooperation with other agencies, the ability of boys to do things for themselves and others, to train them in scoutcraft, and to teach them patriotism, courage, self-reliance, and kindred virtues, using the methods which are now in common use by boy scouts.”
BSP Senior Vice President Roberto Pagdanganan earlier expressed support for the four bills.
At a congressional hearing, Pagdanganan cited a the Supreme Court ruling in 2011, which stated the BSP is a public corporation and its funds are therefore subject to audit by the Commission on Audit, must be rectified. He said the BSP is a private corporation.
