President Benigno Aquino III. AFP FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino III on Friday ordered his Cabinet to “actively” participate in committee hearings in Congress so they could convey the government’s position on pending bills.
Mr. Aquino issued the directive following his decision to veto two crucial bills: the proposed Act Protecting the Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and the Centenarian Act.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the President had directed his Cabinet members “to make sure their participation will be felt…at the level where it is necessary.”
“I understand that he had directed them to make their positions known even at the level of the committee, especially when they are extended an invitation for the discussions of any measure that may concern their department,” said Valte at a briefing in the Palace.
She said the President was not necessarily “lamenting” the fate of at least two bills that reached his desk lately, or whether Mr. Aquino was concerned over the apparent waste of government resources and time spent by lawmakers in passing measures that were eventually vetoed by the Chief Executive.
“The President also did not make any mention of any regret or any similar sentiment,” she said.
“But you do have to remember that coming from the point of view of the executive, even if we do make our positions known, congressmen and senators are perfectly independent to put whatever it is in that particular measure that they, in their wisdom is something that should end up as law,” said Valte.
“So they are really independent. This is a cliché, but at the end of the day, what ends up in that bill after bicam (bicameral conference) is the product of the wisdom of our legislators,” said Valte.
On Tuesday, the Palace disclosed that the President had vetoed the proposed Centenarian Act of 2013 that would entitle those who have reached the age of 100 years or more to a cash gift of P100,000, plus discounts on purchases. Michael Lim Ubac