House panels to continue work on pending bills even during break

Despite their month-long break starting Thursday, House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya, Jr. said the chamber would continue to work on pending priority bills like the creation of the Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR) and the draft federal charter.

Andaya said only two of President Rodrigo Duterte’s priority measures remain pending at the House: the DDR bill and the Constituent Assembly to pave way for the revision of the Constitution and the shift to a federal form of government.

READ: House OKs creation of Department of Disaster Resilience on 2nd reading

“The House committees will continue to work during the break to finalize and fine-tune bills so these will be ready for plenary discussion or approval when it resumes work on November 12,” he said in a statement.

The bill establishing the DDR was approved on second reading on Sept. 18, while the chamber returned the draft federal charter to the committee level on Wednesday.

READ: House throws Arroyo’s draft federal Charter back to committee level

The House leader also said a total of 327 bills were approved on final reading and four legislative measures were enacted into law under Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s watch since July 23, 2018.

Among those enacted into law were Republic Act (RA) 11055 which establishes a Filipino Identification System, and Republic Act 11058 which strengthens compliance with occupational safety and health standards of Filipino workers.

Of the 327 bills approved on final reading, Andaya said three were included in the priority measures outlined by the President: the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Fund (House Bill 5745), Rice Tariffication (HB 7735), and Trabaho Bill (HB 8083).

Andaya said other priority measures that the House already approved on final reading last year and awaiting action from the Senate include the National Land Use and Management Policy (HB 4240), and Endo or Security of Tenure Act (HB 6908). /je