18th Congress: 197 bills signed into law, 182 others pending Duterte nod
MANILA, Philippines — Nearly 200 bills were signed into law during the 18th Congress, while 182 measures are still pending the approval of President Rodrigo Duterte, who is set to step down from office by the end of the month.
“Considering that in the 18th Congress, we had almost two years of pandemic response and pandemic lockdowns, there were 197 laws signed into law, there was one veto. But right now, pending in the Office of the President, we have 182 bills passed by both houses of Congress,” Senate President Vicente Sotto III told reporters in an interview on Tuesday.
Sotto expressed hopes that these pending bills, some of which seek to address “very urgent matters,” will be acted upon by the Senate.
If Duterte does not sign or veto a bill, the measure will lapse into law after 30 days of receipt.
“Ito po ay sana magawan kaagad ng paraan ng Presidente sapagkat kung hindi man, it might lapse into law, ok na rin. There are very urgent matters there,” Sotto said.
Among these pending bills include a measure establishing a separate facility for heinous crime convicts.
READ: Bill on facility for heinous criminals closer to becoming a law
“If it’s not signed into law, I hope it will lapse into law or the next president might act on it; it is one of the issues I discussed with incoming President[-elect] Bongbong Marcos. So, hopefully, ano yan, it would be signed,” Sotto went on.
A bill seen to boost the protection of children against online sexual abuse and exploitation is also pending the action of the President, Sotto also said.
READ: Bill against online child sexual abuse a step closer to becoming a law
A measure seeking the permanent validity of birth, death, and marriage certificates issued and certified by the Philippine Statistics Authority and the National Statistics Office is likewise awaiting Duterte’s nod.
Meanwhile, aside from the 197 bills signed into law during the 18th Congress, Sotto also noted that the Senate was able to adopt 45 simple resolutions and 11 concurrent resolutions.
The Senate also concurred in the country’s accession to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, the Arms Trade Treaty, and the Convention on Temporary Admission.
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