MANILA, Philippines — Congress has decided to keep the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) and the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC).
The decision was reached after the bicameral conference committee approved a reconciled version of a bill that seeks to strengthen the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG).
READ: Unlike House, Senate wants PCGG to stay
“We just approved the bicam report on the new OSG law,” Senator Richard Gordon said in a press briefing.
“We didn’t approve the dissolution of the PCGG and OGCC so they will remain,” he said.
Gordon said the PCGG and the OGCC will continue to function under the “watchful eyes” of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
In keeping the PCGG, the senator noted the agency’s collection of P171 billion.
It also targets to collect P40 billion more in 2020, he said.
In the case of the OGCC, Gordon said Congress decided to retain it since the OSG has only 250 lawyers, each handling 1, 400 cases.
“So we don’t want them being saddled by additional duties of the GOCCs so it will remain as is,” Gordon said.
If the bill is enacted into law, Solicitor General Jose Calida said the agencies would now enjoy all the benefits they didn’t enjoy before.
“So we are grateful for the Senate and the House of Representatives for granting our wish. This is for our employees in the OSG,” Calida said in the same press briefing.
Gordon said that under the bill, the same benefits given to Supreme Court and Court of Appeals justices can now be be enjoyed by the Solicitor General when he retires after 15 years. /ee