Palace says Congress has sufficient session days to pass BBL

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

It is too soon to tell whether special sessions are needed to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law as there are enough sessions until the year ends, the Malacanang said on Thursday.

“Kung tutuusin, marami pa silang session days. Buong buwan ng Setyembre, buong buwan ng Oktubre, November din–meron lang All Saints’ Day break–hanggang halos kalahati ng December,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma told reporters.

(Congress still has many session days for the whole months of September and October. There will just be an All Saints’ Day break on November, and they will still have sessions for almost half of December.)

President Benigno Aquino III pushed for the passage of the BBL during his State of the Nation Address last July.

Coloma said they are optimistic that this will be prioritized by the Congress along with other important bills such as the General Appropriations Act.

Congress will hold sessions until October 9 and then adjourn until November 2. Sessions will then resume from November 3 to 18.

“Ipinapaubaya natin sa mga lider ng Kongreso ‘yung pagpapasya dahil ito ay sa pangangasiwa nila kung ano ang nais nilang talakayin sa kanilang legislative agenda. At batay din sa nakaraang kalakaran, tinitingnan naman muna ‘yung calendar ng bills na naka-schedule at ‘yung schedule ng Kongreso. At ayon kay (Presidential Legislative Liaison Office) Secretary Mamba, sa kanyang pananaw, marami pang session days: buong buwan ng Setyembre, Oktubre, Nobyembre, may kalahati pa ng Disyembre,” Coloma said.

(We will let the leaders of Congress to decide because it’s their call what they want to discuss in their legislative agenda. Usually, they look at the calendar to see which bills are scheduled as well as the Congress’ schedule. Additionally, [Presidential Legislative Liaison Office] Secretary Mamba says that there are still many session days: the entire months of September, October, November, and half of December.) JE