Press Release
February 5, 2007

Senate chalks up record haul in the midst of poll frenzy
Villar-led chamber adds another feather in its cap by approving
record-number of bills as session draws to a close

Amid the growing frenzy over the senatorial and local elections in May, the Senate has remained focused on passing vital pieces of legislation, notching up further its record performance, with 70 measures breezing through the legislative mill since Senate President Manny Villar, President of Nacionalista Party took over the chambers helm.

Senate President Villar said that the nations growing preoccupation with the coming polls would not distract the Senate from performing its constitutional duty of enacting meaningful measures that directly benefit the taxpaying public.

The election season may be just around the corner, but for us here in the Senate, its still work, work and work. We have passed a record number of bills of national and local importance, and we have lined up more vital pieces of legislation for enactment, as the regular session draws to a close this week, the Senate President said.

Villar also paid tribute to his colleagues in the chamber, who painstakingly took the extra effort of working overtime during the past weeks to clear the Senate legislative mill of any backclog.

We are seeing what industry and perseverance can do for our country. Talagang sa sipag at tiyaga, may nilaga; sa sipag at tiyaga, dyan tayo aasenso, an upbeat Villar said.

Villar said that under his leadership, a total of 70 national and local bills have been passed on third and final reading by the Senate as of Wednesday (Jan. 31, 2007). Of these, 26 are of national importance while 44 are of local application.

Binigyan po natin ng priority ang mga panukalang batas na malapit sa sikmura ng mamamyang Pilipino, at ang mga itoy kaalinsunod ng ating mithiin na mabigyang ginhawa ang ating mga kababayan, Villar said.

He said testament to this is the approval on Wednesday of Senate Bill 2119 or the measure Lowering the Prices of Medicines, Amending Republic Act 8293 or the Patents Law.

Villar said SB 2119 is a landmark measure would have dramatically impact on the lives of the people, especially at this day and age when only the rich could afford medicines because of the prohibitive pricing scheme of multinational pharmaceutical companies.

Another important measure passed by the Senate is SB 2518 Providing for the No Bidding Sale of Lands Owned by the National Government or Any of Its Agencies or Instrumentalities to Its Occupants for Socialized Housing, Amending RA 7279 or the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992. It was approved on final reading last Jan. 22.

Villar said the chamber also took up the cudgels for the lowly Kasambahay of house helpers by passing SB 2497 Providing for Additional Benefits and Protection to Househelpers (Kasambahay).

The Senate has also passed SB 2249 Strengthening the Office of the Solicitor General, by Expanding and Streamlining its Bureaucracy, Upgrading Employee Skills and Augmenting benefits. Also approved was SB 2119 Rationalizing the Celebration of National Holidays Amending Executive Order 292.

Another timely measure approved by the Senate is Joint Resolution 9 Creating a Congressional Commission to Review and Assess the State of Competitiveness of Science and Technology, and Engineering, Research and Development Sector in the Country.

At least four of the bills passed by the Senate had been enacted into law. These are House Bill. No. 5668 P46,426,524,000.00 Supplemental Budget for FY 2006 With Senate Amendments, Approved on Third Reading on September 13, 2006, which is now RA 9358, signed into law by the President on October 17, 2006;

H.B. No. 5679 P850,000,000.00 Standby Fund for Clean Up of the Guimaras Oil Spill, the Relief Operations for the Victims of the Eruption of Mayon Volcano and for the Emergency Repatriation, Evacuation and Relief of Overseas Filipinos Workers and other Filipino Nationals in Lebanon and other affected countries in the Middle East; With Senate Amendments, Approved on Third Reading on September 13, 2006 - R.A. No. 9359, signed into law by the President on October 17, 2006.

HB No. 5742 Amending Section 110(b) of the NIRC of 1997 on Input VAT Without Senate Amendments, Approved on Third Reading on October 9, 2006 R.A. No. 9361, Signed into law by the President on November 21, 2006; S.B. No. 2226 Biofuels Act of 2006 Approved on Third Reading on October 11, 2006 R.A. No. 9367, Signed into law by the President on January 12, 2007; and, S.B. No. 2231 Automated Election System Act of 2006 Approved on Third Reading on October 12, 2006 - R.A. No. 9369, signed into law by the President on January 23, 2007.

The Senate also ratified at least three international treaties embodied in S.R. No. 92 or Concurrence to the Cartagena Protocol of Biosafety to the United Nations Convention on Biological Biodiversity Concurred with its Ratification as Approved on Third Reading on August 14, 2006; S.R. No. 99, Concurrence in the Accession of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources Concurred with its Ratification as Approved on Third Reading on November 6, 2006; and, S.R. No. 108 or Concurrence to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption Concurred with its Ratification as Approved on Third Reading on November 6, 2006.

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