Hasten pending bills, Drilon urges lawmakers

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon (Screengrab/Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — Congress should move swiftly in the remaining 10 session days to pass critical laws, which include measures aimed to hasten the country’s economic recovery, address the proliferation of troll accounts, address problems faced by legislative franchises, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said on Saturday.

In a statement, Drilon also called on his colleagues both in the Senate and the House of Representatives “to not allow election fever get in the way of legislation” just before it goes on a break again for the 2022 national and local elections.

“There’s a lot to be done for our country and our people. Even with the elections drawing closer, let us put our 100 percent toward the passage of much-needed laws that our people expect from Congress,” he said.

Drilon made the statement as Congress prepared to return to work on Monday until Feb. 4, leaving the legislature about 10 sessions days to work on several measures before another break for the May 9 elections.

He cited a number of important measures still pending, such as the proposed amendments to the Public Service Act, which seeks to open up other public services industry to the market, but widely criticized as it also allows foreign-owned companies to enter the country’s critical industries, such as mass media and transport.

But Drilon defended the measure as one that, along with the newly signed Republic Act (RA) No. 11595, or the Amended Retail Trade Act, “will set the stage for the country’s economic recovery.”

RA 11595 lowers the paid-up capital requirement in retail trade to P25 million from its previous limit of $2.5 million or about P125 million.

Another piece of legislation that also needs congressional approval is the proposed Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) Card Registration Act, which mandates the registration of all SIM card owners in the country, as a supposed means to deter the use of the mobile phone technology in crimes and scams.

Drilon also expressed hope that Congress can pass the bill on the nonexpiration of license and franchise bills, which he authored and the Senate passed on third reading last month.

Other important bills, according to Drilon, remain pending before their respective bicameral conference committees. These include the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization bill, the Teacher Education Excellence Act, Night Shift Differential Pay bill and the Judiciary Marshalls Act.

He also expressed hope Congress will prioritize the bill that seeks to increase the age for determining statutory rape, which has been approved in the bicameral conference committee level and the report for which is now up for ratification when Congress resumes session.

“We have a long list of measures that are in advanced stages of legislation. Some of them have been pending in bicam for months,” Drilon said.