The House of Representatives has approved a total of 212 bills of which 10 are national bills awaiting presidential approval, and filed more than 1,000 measures during the first regular session of the 16th Congress, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said.
In his remarks during the sine die adjournment of the 1st regular session last June 11, Belmonte also reported that both the House and the Senate passed five national laws. In 71 session days, the House also consolidated 1,097 measures to produce 328 committee reports, and adopted 107 resolutions.
The Speaker noted that he and his fellow lawmakers “cannot wish away nor remain silent on the unremitting assaults to the integrity of this House and of its members, often without basis, in the wake of the PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) controversy.”
"But our work in this first regular session, must and should speak eloquently for us as public servants, and as representatives of our constituents to the best that we can do," said Belmonte, who is also the honorary chairman of the National Unity Party (NUP).
He added that “our performance as legislators proves our fidelity to our people's trust. We have two years remaining in this 16th Congress to continue to make our performance speak for us and for this House."
Among the measures that both the Senate and House have passed and are awaiting presidential approval is the bill requiring the printing of graphic warnings on at least 40 percent of cigarettes packs and the bill seeking free mobile alerts during natural calamities and manmade disasters.
Belmonte said the records of the House would show that “education is a high priority in the chamber,” with at least 34 education-friendly measures approved on third and final reading.
Among these are measures instituting the ladderized education system, open distance learning in higher education, a unified student financial assistance system for higher technical education, voluntary student loan program of private banks, open high school system, free college education in information and technology, and the installation of special education centers in all public schools.
The House has also approved on final reading the bills modernizing the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) and increasing the salaries of its personnel; increasing the prescriptive period for violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; and extending the life of the Philippine National Railways.
It also passed measures strengthening consumer protection in the purchase of new vehicles (“Lemon law”), liberalizing the entry and scope of foreign bank operations in the country, and promoting the development of micro, small and medium enterprises or the Go Negosyo Bill.
On health care, the House approved bills calling for the mandatory PhilHealth coverage of senior citizens; institutionalizing the pre-hospital emergency medical care system, and requiring health care facilities to provide a pricelist of their health care services.
To strengthen agrarian reform, the House approved bills to institutionalize the credit support of the Land Bank of the Philippines to agrarian reform beneficiaries, farmers and fisherfolk; promote soil and water conservation technologies for sustainable land management, strengthen the regulatory functions of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources; and institute a national land use policy.
“The work ethic we displayed gives us the impetus and confidence to look ahead to more fruitful deliberations and decisive action for the passage of more strategic legislation in the second regular session,” Belmonte said, which he hopes would include, among others, the Bangsamoro Law, economic amendments to the Constitution, anti-dynasty law, and the Freedom of Information Act.