Senate, House leaders agree on ‘short and simple’ Road Board bill amendments

Senate Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, and House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya pose after a ‘successful’ meeting on the Road Board bill on Tuesday. PHOTO from Sen. Miguel Zubiri

MANILA, Philippines — Congressional leaders have agreed to introduce only “short and simple” amendments to the bill that seeks to abolish the Road Board.

The agreement was reached after Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto and Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri met with House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Tuesday night.

Zubiri declared the meeting “successful.”

“We agreed that the amendments would be short and simple,” Zubiri told reporters in a Viber message.

He disclosed that the following are the amendments that they will propose:

1. Abolition of the Road Board
2. All monies collected from the road user’s tax will be remitted to the National Treasury
3. The fund would be used for construction, repair, and rehab of roads, bridges and road drainage would be included in the annual General Appropriations Act

Zubiri said the Senate will discuss the results of their meeting on Wednesday.

He expressed confidence that his colleagues would agree to recall the measure so they can discuss the amendments in the bicameral conference committee.

The Senate, in a caucus Monday, maintained that it has already adopted the House of Representatives’ version of the bill abolishing the board.

READ: Senators: No need for bicam on Road Board abolition

This, despite the House’s decision to later recall its version of the measure.

“We will take it up with the senators tomorrow, but I’m sure we will all agree to the recall and quick bicam to approve these amendments,” Zubiri said. /ee