House adjourns; Belmonte sees 3 years under 15th Congress a success

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said on Thursday that he saw the past three years under the 15th Congress as a success for the House of Representatives.

Before declaring the lower chamber of Congress’ adjournment sine die (indefinitely), Belmonte thanked all House members and staff saying that their mission to “redeem the faith of the people with the legislature” had been successful.

“The people gave this House, through its three regular sessions, the highest approval ratings since 1987. This achievement is a badge of honor for every member of the 15th Congress,” he said.

“The 15th Congress was an active partner of the administration in achieving milestones. We passed the most number of historic and game changing laws—the most contentious of legislatures from the first ever Reproductive Health Law and the Sin Tax Law,” Belmonte added.

He also cited the impeachment trial against former Chief Justice Renato Corona as one of their major accomplishments.

“While our accomplishments are many much more needs to be done,” said the House leader.

Before its adjournment sine die at 8:40 p.m., the House of Representatives ratified the bicameral report on HB 6860 and SB 3400 or An Act Broadening the coverage of the Science and Technology Scholarship Program as well as the bill reorganizing the Philippine Statistical System.

Those were only two of the bills which Malacañang requested the House to tackle, said House majority leader Neptali Gonzales II.

They were unable to tackle the measures on the modernization of Pagasa and the one on the delineation of forests.

Gonzales had been worried that Camarines Sur Representative Salvio Fortuno would question the lack of quorum if they tackle the bill creating the province of Nueva Camarines.

The bill was not tackled and after legislators adopted House Concurrent Resolution 24 on the adjournment of the third regular session of the 15th Congress, the lower chamber of Congress proceeded to wrap up their last session day.

Belmonte also received commendations from fellow House leaders for his work in the 15th Congress.

Outgoing House minority leader Danilo Suarez said that his last term in Congress had been “both inspiring and humbling. I was fortunate to have worked with finest statesmen of this time.”

He also made special mention of outgoing Albay Representative Edcel Lagman, the former leader of the minority bloc, for his contribution to the work of the opposition group.

Lagman quit his post as the head of the opposition back in January 2012, no longer believing in the leadership of former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The outgoing minority leader’s advice for neophyte lawmakers? “Find great mentors.”

On Wednesday, legislators were able to pass on third and final reading the bill “Strengthening the Animal Welfare Act,” the “Revised Carnapping Act,” the bill mandating all higher institutions to create crime prevention committees, the Revised GSIS act, and the bill Declaring the Penablanca a Protected Landscape located in the Province of Cagayan.

They also ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the amendment of the “Juvenile Justice Welfare Act.”