Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri is confident that his chamber will pass 20 new laws before the second regular session of the 19th Congress concludes in June, with the possibility of delivering all their legislative commitments by the end of the year.
Zubiri said the Senate is right on track in its approval of President Marcos’ priority measures, as indicated in the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) and in his last State of the Nation Address (SONA).
“We will focus all our energies on these 20 measures before we adjourn for the 3rd Regular Session,” according to the Senate chief. “But we are confident we can fulfill all of our legislative commitments to the President and to the people before this year ends,” he added.
“Rest assured, all of the measures that passed Senate scrutiny have been carefully considered and thoroughly deliberated upon so that the resulting law is as near-perfect as humanly possible,” Zubiri said further.
Zubiri disclosed that one of the priority legislations—the Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital Accounting System (PENCAS) Act—is already for signature by the President when the sessions resume this Monday, April 29.
PENCAS Act is a framework that accounts for the country’s natural capital and its economic impact.
Zubiri also related that the bicameral report on two measures have already been ratified and now in the process of enrolment. These are the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the law establishing the Negros Island Region.
Another bicameral report, the one on the Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act, has also been ratified by the Senate.
“Four of the 20 measures are nearing enactment into law already. The rest are for bicameral committee approval, for second and final reading approval, or awaiting committee approval. We are confident we can finish deliberations on these bills in its final stages before we adjourn sine die on May 24,” Zubiri said.
Two priority measures—the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act and the Self-Reliant Defense Posture Act (SRDP)—are both awaiting bicameral conference committee approval, while the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program Act is already approved on final reading and was transmitted to the House of Representatives for action.
The following priority measures, meanwhile, are currently pending approval on second reading:
1. Anti-Financial Accounts Scamming Act
2. VAT on Digital Services/Transactions Act
3. Amendments to the Government Procurement Reform Act
4. Blue Economy Act
5. Waste-to-Energy Act
6. Mandatory Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (ROTC) Act
7. Unified System of Separation, Retirement and Pension of MUPs/New Separation, Retirement and Pension System for the Military and Uniformed Personnel
8. Enterprise Based Education and Training (EBET) Program Act
9. Amendments to the Universal Health Care Act
Three of the priority measures—the E-Government/E-Governance Act, the Department of Water Resources Act and the Konektadong Pinoy Act—are all pending committee approval.
The Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy (CREATE MORE) Bill, which was passed on third and final reading in the House of Representatives, has already been transmitted to the Senate for proper action.