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[av_heading heading=’17th Congress bares priority measures ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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MANILA – Bills seeking to abolish job contractualization and gender discrimination are among the 38 priority bills of the 17th Congress.
During their second regular session which opened on Monday, Majority Leader Rudy Fariñas released the list of the bills following a meeting with House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and other lawmakers.
Also priorities are the bills on Free Irrigation Services, Agrarian and Agricultural Credit Condonation, Prohibition of Conversion of Irrigated Lands and National Land Use.
There are also priority bills related to health. These are the Enhanced Universal Healthcare, Occupational Safety and Health Standards, One Town: One Doctor, and Free School Feeding / Pagkaing Pinoy para sa Batang Pinoy.
Completing the list of priority bills are Community Service in lieu of Imprisonment for the Penalty of Arresto Menor, Tax Reform Act, Bangsamoro Basic Law, Traffic and Congestion Crisis Act (emergency powers), National ID System, Minimum Wage Law, Estate Tax Reform, Coconut Farmers and Industry Development, Ease of Doing Business Act/Fast Business Permit, Corporation Code of the Philippines, Department of Housing and Urban Development,
Allowable/Recoverable System Loss Act (electricity), Salary Standardization Law IV, Unified Uniformed Personnel Benefits and Pension Reform Act, Criminal Investigation Act, Rice Tariffication, Department of Disaster Response (Public Safety)
Also planned are amendments to the 1987 Constitution, Fair Election Act, Anti-Hazing Law, Anti-Terrorism Law, Public Service Act, Social Security Act, Expand coverage of Local Absentee Voting Act, Family Code of the Philippines and Anti-Discrimination, Government Procurement Reform Act.
In the 17th Congress, the lower chamber processed 1,247 measures in 97 session days, for an average of 13 measures processed per day, during the first regular session covering July 25, 2016 to May 31, 2017.
House leaders has previously defended the low legislative performance of the first regular session saying that the quality of bills and not the number as the basis of the productivity of the House./PN
Lowest hunger incidence in 13 years – SWS survey
MANILA – Malacañang welcomed the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showing the lowest hunger incidence in 13 years.
Based on the survey, families experiencing involuntary hunger at least once in the past three months dropped from 11.9 percent in March 2017 to 9.5 percent in June or a 2.4 percent decline.
“It’s the first time since 2004 that Filipino families experiencing hunger fell to a single digit,” Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said.
“We have certainly made significant headways in alleviating poverty and bringing prosperity in our first year in office. Much needs to be done but with the support of all sectors, we can make a comfortable life for all a reality,” he said.
Meanwhile, Abella said the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) has approved the 20 percent discount for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) for online travel booking.
With this, senior citizens and PWDs are entitled to the 20 percent discount on domestic flights.
“Airlines are expected to fully implement a virtual system, which should apply discount on online transactions. Meanwhile, a summary of amount indicating the 20 percent discount should be presented to the senior citizens before the completion of transaction. In return, necessary IDs are expected to be presented,” Abella said.
In the same briefing, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairperson William Ramirez underscored the need to improve the country’s sports development programs, especially in far-flung areas of the country.
Ramirez said his agency is focusing on grassroots sports programs, adding that they have set up sports activities for bakwit children in Marawi.
“Philippine Sports Commission is a small agency. But to my discerning, to my research or my vision, if sports can be planned properly to really go to the periphery, it can be a big agency because the involvement, inspiring children to go to school, inspiring children that even if you are poor, you can exist properly and enjoy the quality of life that we look for, I think we will be doing fine and I am here at the PSC to live a legacy to live by in the next generations of board of commissioners,” Ramirez said. (PNA/PN)
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