Senate eyeing approval of Maharlika fund, mandatory ROTC, 10 other priority bills by June

Facade of the Senate building in Pasay City. (Philippine Daily Inquirer / file photo)

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate is eyeing to approve the Maharlika Investment Fund and the mandatory Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) bills by June.

According to Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva on Monday, the two measures are among the 12 priority bills of the upper chamber.

The Maharlika Investment Fund bill seeks the creation of the sovereign fund to in a bid to achieve the country’s economic goals.

The House of Representatives approved its version in December last year.

Several lawmakers expressed their reservations on the proposal.  

Meanwhile,  the mandatory ROTC and National Service Training Program bill seeks to have courses introduced in the senior high school level.

Like the Maharlika bill, the mandatory ROTC measure also drew flak as critics claim that it is prone to abuses. 

The other 10 priority bills that the Senate seeks to approve by June are:

• Amendments to the Built-Operate-Transfer law /or the Public-Private Partnership bill
• Philippine Center for Disease Prevention and Control bill
• Virology Institution of the Philippines Creation bill
• Medical Reserve Corps bill 
• Condonation of Unpaid Amortization and Interests of Loans of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries bill
• Internet Transactions Act of 2022 
• Armed Forces of the Philippines Fixed-Term bill
• Salt Industry Development bill
• National Employment Action Plan
• Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership

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