KIKO: SENATE FOCUSED ON PASSING CRUCIAL BILLS
"Senate hearings not hampering legislation"

As the Senate's First Regular Session of the 14th Congress nears recess, Senate Majority Leader Kiko Pangilinan today stressed the Upper Chamber's resolve to pass relevant bills that address the basic needs of citizens, amidst conducting budget hearings and equally important investigations in aid of legislation.

"Sinisiguro po namin sa publiko, determinado ang Senadong ito sa pagpapasa ng mga batas na tumutugon sa mga pangangailangan ng mga mamamayan."

Kiko said the Senate has been steadfast in legislating pertinent bills that give attention to such important areas as justice, health and education.

"The passage on third reading of Senate Bill No.1620, which we co-sponsored, strengthens the judiciary by granting additional retirement benefits to justices and judges. We expect this to aid the problem of vacancy in our courts, thereby expediting the dispensation of justice."

"We are also giving priority to the Cheaper Medicines Act, which we passed on second reading, and the ACEF bill which will help farmers become more productive and which will provide scholarships to their children," stressed Kiko.

The Senate is also tackling the amendment to the Child Pornography Law, the fixing of term of the AFP chief of staff to three years, the Anti-Cellphone Theft bill, the Tourism Act, the amendment to the Small and Medium Enterprises Law, among others.

"Also, we are pushing hard for the passage of the UP Charter Bill, which gives UP the flexibility to earn its own income and invest it back for the development of the schools curricula, its faculty and facilities. This has been in the legislative mill for 14 years, and we hope to pass this in time for the State University's centennial celebration," Kiko, author of Senate Bill No. 132 or the UP Charter Bill, said.

"Despite the Senate's determination to act as a check and balance to its co-equal branches as mandated by the Constitution and to carry out hearings in aid of legislation, we assure the public that we do not let these hearings get in the way of legislation. The Senate as an institution continues to respond to the needs of our people through relevant measures," Kiko ended.