Senate to do ‘best’ in passing BBL before Oct. 10

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate will do its best to approve the draft Bangsamoro law in the next five weeks, before Congress goes on its next scheduled break, according to Senate President Franklin Drilon.

The measure was among the eight bills that that Senate and House of Representatives leaders agreed to make a priority before Congress’ adjournment on October 10, Drilon said on Thursday.

Not on the list are the anti-dynasty bill, which President Aquino pitched for in his last State of the Nation Address, and the freedom of information bill.

Drilon said the Senate would do what it could to pass the Bangsamoro autonomy bill, which would finalize the peace deal between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

It is undergoing deliberations in the plenary.

“I have discussed this with the majority of the senators. We will exert every effort to pass it,” Drilon told reporters on Thursday.

“Our objective is to pass this before we go on a break. That’s our objective,” he added.

But he said that he was not imposing an actual deadline on the measure.

The other bills identified as priority are the 2016 national budget, the Sangguniang Kabataan reform bill, the measure to create the Department of Information and Communication Technology, the Tax Incentives Management and Transparency Act, the amendments to the Build-Operate-Transfer Law, amendments to the Customs and Tariff Modernization Act, and the amendments to the monetary values in the Revised Penal Code. Leila B. Salaverria, Philippine Daily Inquirer