Press Release
July 24, 2008

'A SEASON OF LEGISLATIVE OUTPUT'
Villar foresees a more productive Congress

Senate President Manny Villar expressed confidence that the Second Regular Session of the 14th Congress, which formally opens on Monday, July 28, will be more productive in terms of legislation given the determination of lawmakers to provide adequate solutions to the country's pressing socio-economic problems.

At the Senate, at least 25 priority bills are pending approval on second and third reading with Villar saying he expected the chamber to come up with more legislation that will help ease the impact of the current food and fuel crises in the country.

"Historically, the First Regular Session of Congress is the period of organization. The Second Session is usually more productive so we expect a season of legislative output when session resumes on Monday," Villar said. "With the problems besetting the Filipino people, the Senate will deliver no less."

Villar said the Senate would give top priority to the bills on renewable energy, the amendment of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira), the delineation of the country's baselines, global warming, Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA), and measures to achieve food self-sufficiency. At the same time, the Senate will also tackle bills creating a special fund for the repatriation and financial assistance for distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and the establishment of an OFW hospital, Villar said. The Senate President said he would press for the increase in the repatriation fund for overseas workers in distress to P1 billion. He had spent his personal money for the repatriation of some overseas workers in distress after noting the inadequate government funding for the purpose. He also vowed to double the P10-billion calamity fund to assure the faster rehabilitation of regions lashed by Typhoon Frank, particularly Western Visayas. Other measures in the pipeline are proposed amendments to the local Cooperative Code and the Consumer Code, a proposed 10-year tax holiday package for overseas Filipino investors, the proposed Fishermen and Farmers Subsidies Act, the proposed Fiscal Incentives and Investments Act, and the proposed New Anti-Child Pornography Act.

Villar, who is also Nacionalista Party president, said the Senate would be able to surpass its legislative performance during the First Session. "We are upbeat about approving a more comprehensive package of bills in our priority list as we take off from where we left the last time," he said.

Villar said the Senate approval of a record number of more than 30 bills during the First Session of the 14th Congress should put to rest criticisms that the Senate has reneged on its lawmaking functions in favor of oversight congressional investigations on allegations of fraud and corruption in government.

Villar added the Senate's accomplishment in the First Regular Session of the 14th Congress has the greatest number of bills passed. He noted that in the First Regular Session of the 12th Congress, Senate passed 16 bills in third and second reading. In the First Regular Session of the 13th Congress, eight bills were approved.

Villar commended his colleagues for the fortitude and commitment they displayed amid the numerous Senate investigations. He noted that from July 2007 to May 31 this year, the Senate and its various committees conducted a total of 342 public hearings, 22 of which were related to the oversight functions of Congress to investigate allegations of graft and corruption in government.

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