VILLAR: WORK AS USUAL FOR SENATORS
Passed 18 bills on resumption of session;
hopes to end 13th Congress with record performance

Senate President Manny Villar resumed the Senate session yesterday (January 22) vowing to continue the chambers commitment to approve as much urgently needed bills as possible. True enough, 18 bills were approved yesterday alone.

It will be work as usual for all of us despite the election fever gripping the country already. There is still a lot of pending work to be completed and we dont want to leave any unfinished business. Today we managed to fast-track the approval of 18 bills, says Villar.

The bills that were approved include Senate Bill (SB) 2501 strengthening the regulatory functions of the POEA, further improving the higher standard of protection and promotion of migrant workers, their families and OFWs in distress; SB 2518 amending provisions of the Urban Development and Housing Act; SB 2497 providing additional benefits and protection to house-helpers; Senate Joint Resolution 9 creating a congressional, commission to review and assess the state of competitiveness of science and technology etc,; among others.

The approval of these 18 bills brings to 63 the number of bills passed since Villar assumed the Senate presidency in July last year.

Villar adds, We have already approved a number of bills on second reading before we adjourned last year and we will just continue working on these. Among the priorities are the national budget, anti-terrorism bill, health and other local bills.

According to Villar, the Senates priority would continue to be on legislation in the areas of education, health, and housing, agriculture, the plight of overseas Filipino workers, the environment, cheap energy, investments, electoral reforms and the fight against global terrorism.

The Senate bills that were passed since Villar assumed the Senate Presidency on July 24, 2006 include House Bill (HB) 5742, Amending Section 110(b) of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) of 1997 on Input VAT; Senate Bill (SB) 2226, Biofuels Act of 2006; SB 2231, Automated Election System Act of 2006; HB 5500, Converting the Municipality of Navotas into a City; the P46.4-billion supplemental budget; the P500-million standby fund for the repatriation of the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) trapped in Lebanon war; House Bill (HB) No. 3315 or the Human Rights Victims Compensation Act; charter of the province of Zamboanga Sibugay (HB 1299); two legislative districts in the province of Sultan Kudarat (HB 4192); amendment to the cityhood charter of Sipalay (HB 4899); cityhood of Meycauayan, Bulacan (HB 4937); Radio Maria Foundation, Inc. (HB 2478); the creation of the new province of Dinagat island in Surigao (HB 884) and granting citizenship to Charles William Mosser (SB 1978/HB 643).