Senate shuns credit on naturalization bill

The Senate committee on justice and human rights headed by Senate Minority Leader Renato Cayetano has assured the faster passage of the proposed "Administrative Naturalization Law of 2001" by shunting aside any "billing" claim and giving the main credit to the House.

In a public hearing the other day, the committee decided to merely adopt the House version principally authored by Laguna Rep. Joaquin Chipeco Jr. instead of pushing for its version, principally authored by Sen. Franklin Drilon.

"Adoption of the House version will render any bicameral conference committee unnecessary and assure the passage of the vital measure before the 11th Congress adjourns," Cayetano said.

Drilon agreed to the adoption, saying the Senate is more concerned with the passage of the measure rather than on who gets the credit.

"Anyway, there is very little difference between the House and the Senate version," Drilon said.

During the hearing, Immigration Commissioner Andrea Domingo, Justice Undersecretary Ricardo Paras, lawyer Daniel Laoagan of the Chinese Filipino Business Club, Johnny Chotrani of the Filipino-Indian Chamber of Commerce and Benjamin Chua of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry all batted for the passage of the proposed Administrative Naturalization Law of 2001.

Drilon said that the measure seeks to attune the present Naturalization Law enacted in 1939 to the "increasing demands of the ever-changing international migration and domestic policies."

"One of the perceived inadequacies of the existing law is its failure to give the consideration, regard and recognition to aliens born and residing in the Philippines," he said. — Efren Danao