The House of Representatives will still have plenty of time to approve pending priority bills when Congress resumes session on May 23, or when the country already knows who the next president would be.
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said there are still many important measures that need to be approved by the 16th Congress, and this is what they intend to do from May 23 to June 10.
“There’s still time to approve bills. Also, several bills will be tackled [when session resumes],” Belmonte said in a text message.
Majority Leader and Liberal Party Rep. Neptali Gonzales II of Mandaluyong said their goal is to pass several bills that are already in the advanced stage.
“We will approve bicameral committee reports and also bills already passed on third reading by the House and the Senate that either chamber would accept as its version,” Gonzales said, also in a text message.
Based on the legislative calendar, Congress sessions adjourned on February 3, as part of its preparation for the May national and local elections, and resume on May 23.
This means legislators still have ample opportunity to approve bills after they have finished their works in the official canvassing of votes.
Considered in the advanced stage that will be tackled at the resumption of sessions are the bicameral conference committee reports on the Strengthening the Balanced Housing Development Program; Amending Foreign Ownership Restrictions in Specific Laws Governing Adjustment Companies, Lending Companies, Financing Companies and Investment Houses Cited in The Foreign Investment Negative List, except those in the Constitution; Modernizing the National Bureau of Investigation; Banning the Re-appointment of a Regular Member of the Judicial and Bar Council who has already served two full terms; and Speed Limiters in Public Utility Vehicles.
These proposals are now awaiting ratification by the House when sessions reconvene in May.
On the other hand, measures still pending in the bicameral are the proposed Salary Standardization Law 4; increase in the prescriptive period for graft and considered corrupt practices from 15 years to 20 years; establishing the Philippine Trade Representative Office; and institutionalizing the national implementation of the Jobstart Philippines Program.
Processed measures
The House of Representatives processed a total of 3,126 measures from July 22, 2013, to February 2, 2016, based on statistics from the House Committee on Rules submitted to Belmonte by the House secretary-general after adjournment of session last week.
In a statement, House Secretary-General Marilyn Barua Yap said an average of 16 measures were processed per session day during the first, second and third regular sessions of the 16th Congress, or a total of 191 session days.
“Of the total 3,126 measures processed, a total of 1,097 bills/resolutions where approved. Statistics showed that a total of 117 bills were enacted into law—74 of national significance, 38 of local scope and five joint resolutions. The House also ratified bicameral reports on 10 national bills, adopted the Senate version of 14 national bills and one local bill, aside from concurring with Senate amendments to nine national and 44 local bills,” she said.
The House also noted that the Senate passed without amendments four national and 38 local measures that originated from the lower chamber.
It was able to process and approve on final reading and transmit to the Senate for proper consideration some 543 measures (221 of national scope, 313 local and nine joint resolutions), Yap added.
Overall, she said, members of the House have filed a total of 9,180 measures (6,448 bills and 2,732 resolutions). Of these measures, 3,126 were processed and 1,097 were approved.