Palace open to special session

MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo is considering calling a special session of Congress for the passage of the administration’s priority measures before lawmakers adjourn on Feb. 5.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde was reacting yesterday to the statement of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile that lawmakers would try to pass pending bills before the 14th Congress adjourns its third regular session.

Congress will resume session on Jan. 18 when lawmakers return from Christmas break and will adjourn again on Feb. 5 as the campaign period officially starts on Feb. 9.

“If there is a need to have a special session (of Congress), Malacañang is open to that,” Remonde told the government-run Radyo ng Bayan.

He, however, expressed confidence that urgent bills set by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council last week would be passed even with little time left.

“If not all, most of them will still be passed and we will be working closely with Congress to ensure that these priority bills would be approved,” he said.

Remonde said Mrs. Arroyo is also expected to sign the proposed P1.541-trillion budget for this year once it lands on her desk.

Among the measures she wants passed are the proposed rationalization of excise taxes on cigarettes and alcohol products that can generate from P19 billion to P21 billion annually, the P5-billion Simplified Net Income Taxation System, the rationalization of fiscal incentives which can raise P5 billion to P10 billion, and the Anti-Smuggling Act, which will impose stiffer penalties for technical smuggling and other violations.

‘People’s Day’

Meanwhile, the President will start her first working week of the year by holding a “People’s Day” for residents living around Malacañang.

Remonde said Mrs. Arroyo would be accompanied by officials of some agencies to assist her in addressing their concerns.

The previous “People’s Day” activities in other areas included medical missions.

“They (residents in barangays around Malacañang) will receive some gifts, assistance or personal services from the President,” Remonde said.

She is also expected to have meetings today with members of the judiciary and congressional leaders as well as receive some diplomats at the Palace, he said.

The President will go to some provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao tomorrow to inspect and inaugurate infrastructure projects and hold meetings with local officials.

On Wednesday, she will proceed to Ifugao and parts of the Mountain Province to also inaugurate and inspect projects and hold talks with local officials in the area.

The following day, Mrs. Arroyo will visit Laguna where she will sign into law the Social Security System penalty condonation bill and visit the relocation sites for families displaced by tropical storm “Ondoy” and typhoon “Pepeng” last year.

“The President continues to take care of them (relocated families) that’s why she is going to inspect their living conditions there,” Remonde said.

On Friday, she will have her regular climate change and environment activity but the Palace official did not specify what would be the specific activity.

Her previous Friday climate change activities were mostly setting up new materials recovery facilities, educational programs with local officials and concerned groups as well as inspection of environment-saving projects.