Senate OK'd 198 bills since July 2010

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate has approved a total of 198 bills since the start of the 15th Congress last July 2010.

Congress adjourned session last Thursday for a three-week break and will resume on Oct. 8.

The regular sessions were supposed to be adjourned last Wednesday but the Senate decided to suspend proceedings for the next day to allow the approval of House Bill 5236, creating a fourth legislative district for the province of Bukidnon.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile reported that six of the 198 bills have been signed into law, namely the Anti-Cybercrime Act, Data Privacy Act, People’s Survival Fund, An Act Authorizing Clerical or Typographical Errors in Birthdate or Sex of a Person Without Need for Judicial Order, An Act Reviving the Observance of Arbor Day, and The Act Reapportioning the Province of Cotabato into three legislative districts.

The Senate previously approved two other bills, but these have yet to be reconciled by the bicameral conference committee, namely the househelper’s additional benefits and protection bill or the batas kasambahay, and the bill defining and penalizing enforced or involuntary disappearances.

Earlier this week, the Senate also ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the revised AFP Modernization Program, which would be transmitted to President Aquino for signing into law.

A total of 86 bills were approved on third reading but would require similar action from the House of Representatives before they can be signed into law.

Enrile noted 102 other measures were approved by the Senate and the House of Representatives and have been submitted for action of the President.

A significant number of these bills refer to the creation of new courts as well as primary and secondary public schools.

When Congress resumes session on Oct. 8, priority would be given to the deliberations on the proposed P2-trillion national budget for 2013.

The Senate committee on finance would continue its hearings on the proposed budgets of the different government agencies during its three-week break in order to ensure that the measure would be passed before yearend.