It was business as usual at the House of Representatives as the chamber passed several bills on final reading in preparation for its scheduled sine die adjournment next week.
Among the bills passed on the third and final reading were the measures increasing disability pensions for military veterans, dependents, establishing voucher system for poor students in tertiary education, institutionalizing ‘One Town, One Product’ program to boost MSMEs, and strengthening IPOPHL, efforts against piracy, counterfeiting; declaring August 1 a special working holiday to commemorate the declaration of Philippine Independence; and on discounted waived fees on pre-employment requirements for indigent jobseekers.
Voting 268 against zero and one abstention, lawmakers approved House Bill (HB) 7939 or “An Act Rationalizing the Disability Pension of Veterans,” which amends Republic Act 6948 as amended by RA 7696, or the laws that standardized and upgraded the benefits for military veterans and their dependents.
RA 6948 and RA 7696 were enacted in 1990 and 1994, respectively. HB 7939 seeks to increase the pensions mandated under these laws.
Section 5 of the bill states that: “A veteran who is disabled owing to sickness, disease, wounds or injuries sustained in the line of duty shall be given a monthly disability pension in accordance with the rates prescribed hereunder.”
The rates were adjusted as follows: from P1,000 to P4,500 if the disability is rated from 10% to 30%; from P1,100 to P5,300 if the disability is rated from 31% to 40%; from P1,200 to P6,100 if the disability is rated from 41% to 50%; from P1,300 to P6,900 if the disability is rated from 51% to 60%; From P1,400 to P7,700 if the disability is rated from 61% to 70%; from P1,500 to P8,500 if the disability is rated from 71% to 80%; from P1,600 to P9,300 if the disability is rated from 81% to 90%; from P1,700 to P10,000 if the disability is rated from 91% to 100%, with the addition of P1,000 for the spouse and each unmarried minor children from the previous rate of P500.
“The initial amount necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be charged against the Pension and Gratuity Fund. Thereafter, such sums as may be needed for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act,” the measure said.
Voting 265 against zero and four abstentions, the chamber approved House Bill (HB) 7922 which would also revise some provisions of the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) for students in public and private HEIs under Republic Act No. 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (UAQTEA).
Under HB 7922, the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Board will administer a portable voucher system that will allow beneficiaries to study in private HEIS and TVIs in cities and municipalities where there are existing state universities and colleges (SUCs), local universities and colleges (LUCs), and public TVIs.
UniFAST will also determine the eligibility of students under the voucher system, provided that students of private HEIs and TVIs who
are TES grantees can no longer qualify for the voucher system.
Meanwhile, the bill directs UniFAST to administer the TES and to prioritize students who are part of households included in the updated
Listahanan 3 of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), ranked according to the estimated per capita household income,
and students not part of the Listahanan 3, ranked according to estimated per capita household income based on the proof of income.
HB 7922 seeks to amend UAQTEA, a law that expanded and enhanced the coverage of Free Tuition 2017. UAQTEA has four programs under it: (1)
Free Higher Education (tuition and miscellaneous fees) in SUCs and CHED-recognized LUCs; (2) Free Technical-Vocational Education and
Training (TVET) in public and private institutions registered with TESDA; (3) the TES or grants-in-aid for poor students in public and
private institutions; and (4) Student Loan Program (SLP) for tertiary education students.
Under TES, beneficiaries would receive allowances for books, supplies, transportation, and a reasonable allowance for the documented rental
or purchase of computers, and other education-related expenses, as well as allowance for room and board costs to be incurred by the
student.
With an overwhelming 268 votes, the House approved on third and final reading HB1171 that will institutionalize the “One Town, One Product”
(OTOP) program, the government’s stimulus package for the promotion and development of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the
countryside through the use of indigenous raw materials and the utilization of local skills and talents.
The bill would institutionalize the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) OTOP program which started in 2014 to support MSMEs.
Under the bill, DTI, in partnership with LGUs, will provide a comprehensive package of assistance to OTOP Program beneficiaries on
the areas of product development, capacity building and training, standards and market compliance, and market access and product
promotion. The regional and provincial offices of DTI, in cooperation with the concerned LGUs, will determine the beneficiaries of the OTOP
Program.
The OTOP Philippines Program will cover material products and skills-based services known to an area or locality. It will include agricultural-based products such as coffee, and cacao, agri-processed products like processed meats, and coconut oil; arts and crafts like coco coir, weaves, and bamboo; home and fashion or creative artisanal products like gifts, souvenir items, and furniture; processed food such as fruits and nuts, local delicacies and kakanin (sticky rice cakes), among others; and skills-based services and other products such as hilot or traditional Filipino massage, sculpting, essential oils, and other wellness products.
The bill also mandates DTI to establish the OTOP Philippines Trustmark that will symbolize the country’s best products, and signify that the
services and products have been marked excellent in terms of quality, design, value, and marketability.
Voting 267 against zero and one abstention, the chamber approved HB) 7600 which would give IPOPHL additional powers to prevent counterfeit
or pirated goods.or contents.
The bill defines counterfeit and pirated goods and authorizes the IPOPHL to gather intelligence information, and investigate violations
of the IP Code and develop countermeasures to deter counterfeit or pirated goods or content.
If passed into law, the measure will also allow IPOPHL to visit establishments and businesses suspected to be in violation of RA 8293.
HB 7600 also adds a new Section 216-A on Preventive Action on Online Infringement which empowers the IPOPHL, after due notice and hearing,
to disable access to an online location or website and prevent further access to an online location whose primary purpose or primary effect
is to infringe the copyright or facilitate copyright infringement.
It would also allow copyright owners or the exclusive licensee of copyright to submit an application to the IPOPHL to order the
disabling of access to any infringing online location identified in the application.
The bill likewise increases the range of administrative fines that can be imposed by the Director of Legal Affairs from a minimum of P5,000
and a maximum of P150,000 to a minimum of P 100,000 and a maximum of P1 million. The maximum additional fine for each day of a continuing
violation is also raised from P1,000 to P10,000.
Meanwhile, with an overwhelming 270 votes, the panel approved House Bill (HB) No. 7986 or “An Act Declaring August 1 of Every Year a Special Working Holiday to be Known as the ‘Promulgation of the Solemn Declaration of Philippine Independence.’”
The bill is a recognition of an important piece of Philippine history: the official declaration of Philippine independence in Bacoor, Cavite
on August 1, 1898, according to its principal authors Cavite Reps. Lani Mercado-Revilla, Jolo Revilla, Elpidio Barzaga, Aniela Tolentino,
Roy Loyola, and Adrian Advincula, along with Manila Rep. Edward Maceda.
If HB 7986 is enacted into law, official recognition will be given to the Promulgation of the Solemn Declaration of Philippine Independence
during the Bacoor Assembly in 1898 as part of the country’s path to independence.
HB 8008 or the “Kabalikat sa Hanapbuhay Act,” was aimed at assisting indigent jobseekers in their pursuit of gainful employment by granting
them discounted or waived fees on pre-employment requirements such as National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and police clearances.
With an overwhelming 270 votes, the House members approved the bill which seeks to provide either a 20% discount on fees or completely
waived payment.on employment documents issued by government agencies for qualified indigent job hunters.
Under HB 8008, a 20% discount is granted to qualified indigent jobseekers applying for the following documentary requirements:
- Barangay Clearance.
- NBI Clearance.
- Police Clearance.
- Medical Certificate from any government hospital.
- Medical Certificate for foreign employment from any DOH-accredited
medical facility for overseas workers and seafarers. - Marriage Certificate from the PSA.
- Birth Certificate from the PSA.
- National Certificate and Certificate of Competency (COC) from TESDA.
- Certificate of Civil Service Eligibility from the CSC.
- Other documentary requirements issued by the government that may be
required by employers from indigent job seekers as determined and
approved by the Inter-Agency Coordinating and Monitoring Committee
established in this Act.
Section 5 of the measure waives the fees and charges for the following
pre-employment documents and cards:
- Tax Identification Number from the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
- Transcript of Records, Transfer Credentials, Authenticated Copy of
Diploma, and Certificate of Good Moral Character from the State
Universities and Colleges, and Local Universities and Colleges of the
job seeker.