Congress prodded to pass 20 bills

President Arroyo urged lawmakers to speed up passage of at least 20 Malacañang-certified bills which she submitted during yesterday’s opening of the 12th Congress, highlighted by the delivery of her first State of the Nation Address (SONA).

The President batted for multi-partisan support for the proposed laws certified as urgent by the Palace.

In her nearly 70-minute SONA, Mrs. Arroyo cited the importance of each measure, two of which called for major reforms in the government structure.

One of the bills sought the creation of a Department of Telecommunications and Information Technology (DTIT), while another establishes a Department of Housing and Urban Development (DHUD), evolving out of the existing Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council.

The proposed DHUD will have under its wings five government agencies involved in housing.

The Chief Executive said other measures were meant to promote an "economic philosophy for the 21st century through structural reforms in the financial and banking sectors."

She enumerated the bills as:

• A law that would allow farm lands to be used as loan collateral.

• A law amending the existing charter of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

• A law amending the Banking Act (Money-Laundering Act).

• A law setting up secondary housing mortgage market by 2002.

• A law establishing an Asset Management Company.

• A law creating a Provident Fun for Overseas Workers.

• A law creating the Personal Equity Retirement Act.

• A proposed Investment Company Act.

• A proposed Securitization Act.

• A law providing for a shift to the gross income taxation scheme.

The President asked Congress to expand the list of workers qualified for exemption in the payment of income taxes.

In her SONA, Mrs. Arroyo said the measures, specifically the proposed Internet Privacy and Security, the Multi-Media Convergence and the DTIT bills, were also designed to improve the country’s competitive edge in the field of information and communication technology.

A bill amending the Ombudsman charter allows private prosecutors to help speed up disposition of cases, while another seeks to strengthen the Dangerous Drugs Act, which was passsed in 1972.

The absentee voting bill will enable overseas Filipino voters to participate in Philippine elections. — Marichu Villanueva