Sotto, Velasco meet ahead of Duterte’s last Sona

Speaker Lord Allan Velasco (left) and Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III (right) pose for a photo as they met Tuesday, June 1, 2021, to discuss pending legislative measures and possible scenarios for President Rodrigo Duterte’s final State of the Nation Address in July. Photo from Office of Speaker Velasco

MANILA, Philippines – Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Speaker Lord Allan Velasco met Tuesday to talk about pending legislative measures ahead of the State of the Nation Address (Sona) next month.

Sotto and Velasco also met to discuss possible scenarios for President Rodrigo Duterte’s final SONA, which will likely be held on July 26. The 1987 Constitution sets a President’s SONA on the fourth Monday of July.

“The country’s two highest legislative officials vow to continue coordinating the respective priority bills of the Senate and the House to ensure that both chambers remain productive even during the upcoming election season,” Velasco’s office said in a statement.

Over at the Senate, senators have agreed to hold plenary sessions on Thursdays to have more time to deliberate on and approve priority measures.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said the Senate is aiming to pass the proposed Public Service Act and the Foreign Investments Act as well as the Government Financial Institutions Unified Initiatives to Distressed Enterprises for Economic Recovery (GUIDE) bill.

Also among proposed legislation that senators agreed to pass are those that aim to reset the first regular elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) which is already in the period of interpellation.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives is eyeing to pass the Bayanihan to Arise as One Act or Bayanihan 3 and the economic charter change – both already approved on second reading.

The Senate and the House of Representatives are set to adjourn on June 5.

KGA