Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino announced on Friday that the Senate will prioritize four pivotal bills as the regular session resumes on January 13, 2025.
Among these legislative measures is a proposal to postpone the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections originally scheduled for 2025, modernize the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), approve the amended Baguio City Charter, and increase the pension differentials for Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) employees.
Tolentino indicated that the barangay and SK postponement, approved in a bicameral conference, would extend the terms of current local officials by two years. The urgency of modernizing the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) was also stressed by the senator, citing recent volcanic eruptions from Kanlaon and Taal.
Tolentino noted that several local bills are queued for a second reading, while initiatives to reorganize the National Tax Research Center and enhance the mining regime are also part of the proposed legislative agenda.