Press Release
October 22, 2009

Senate inks record-breaking performance despite emergencies - Zubiri

"Senators notched record-breaking accomplishments despite emergencies. Not even the deluge slowed down the Senate. In fact, it made us deal with disaster-related issues more directly. The Senate worked through important measures, continued to investigate festering issues and dealt with emergencies brought about by Ondoy and Pepeng," Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said on the 93rd Anniversary of the Senate.

"The new leadership together with the zest of all its members had passed more bills into law in this one year than the 11th and 12th Congresses. We had put our differences aside and passed key legislations to help our country move forward."

"Foremost of the bills we approved is the P12 Billion authorized spending for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of areas devastated by the recent typhoons (Ondoy and Pepeng) and super typhoon Frank in Panay in 2008.

"We united in grief with the passing of our beloved former President Corazon C. Aquino and as a tribute passed the law extending the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. We came together again as a nation recalling the nationalism and good deeds of former Senator Sotero H. Laurel and Iglesia Ni Cristo leader Ka Erdy Manalo."

"Personal differences posed no hindrance to legislative work as we gave equal opportunities to Senators Lacson and Estrada to ventilate their feelings and beliefs. Bitterness gave way to the call of duty. I thank my colleagues who have been prolific in the sponsorship of bills and active in the deliberation of those bills."

Other important laws enacted within three months are the following:

  • RA 9679 or Amendments to the Pag-IBIG Charter, which vests the PagIBIG with corporate powers thus ensuring the financial stability of this mutual fund dedicated to housing and social security of its members (Sponsored by Sen. Angara);

  • RA 9700 or Reform and Extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, which allocates P150 Billion for land acquisition and distribution and extends CARP for another five years (Sponsored by Sen. Honasan);

  • RA 9709 or the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program which makes this vital health service available to all especially the poor by including it in the package of PhilHealth benefits (Sponsored by Sen. Madrigal);

  • RA 9708 or the Five-Year Extension of the Reglementary Period for complying with the Minimum Educational Qualification for Appointment to the Philippine National Police which grants a grace period for PNP members to study and be qualified for promotions (Sponsored by Sen. Honasan);

  • RA 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women which bans discrimination against women, recognizes their rights including in matters pertaining to marriage and family relations (Sponsored by Sen. Madrigal); and

  • RA 9711 or the Food and Drug Administration act of 2009 which renamed the Bureau of Food and Drugs into the FDA and set up more laboratories nationwide which will ensure the high quality of food and drugs consumed and traded by Filipinos (Sponsored by Sen. Pia Cayetano).

"In just 16 weeks from the start of the Third Regular Session of the 14th Congress, nine bills have been enacted into law, 261 approved on Third Reading of which 20 are of national application which include the two Joint Resolutions topped by the P12-Billion Supplemental Budget for the calamities brought by typhoons Ondoy, Pepeng and Frank. Also out of the 20 bills of national application, six are for signature of the President and 13 Bicam reports have already been ratified by both Houses."

Bills with Approved Bicam Report:

  • SBN 2639, Real Estate Investment Trust, which ensures that real estate investment companies have solid financial base and encourages the formation of responsible real estate investment companies by setting granting incentives at the same time that it demands accountability to its investors (Sponsored by Sen. Angara);

  • SBN 2077 (HBN 6516), Pre-Need Code, which secures the interest of pre-need policyholders by raising the requirements for pre-need companies such as the setting up of a trust fund, liquidity reserve and conduct of actuarial studies, as well as laying stringent licensing requirements and t introducing other measures to ensure transparency (Sponsored by Sen. Angara);

  • SBN 2583, Climate Change Commission, which adds muscle to the climate Change mitigation and adaptation initiatives of the government enjoining local action on a global problem of climate change (Sponsored by Sen. Legarda);

Bills passed on Third Reading of national application are as follows:

  • Senate Bill No. 2659, Creating the Office of the Prosecutor General which makes the prosecution service autonomous, increased the number of prosecutors nationwide and granted better compensation and retirement packages (Sponsored by Sen. Escudero);

  • SBN 3240 (House Bill No. 4214), Creating the Military Service Board which recognizes the courage and sacrifice of Filipino veterans of the Second World War by hastening the grant of benefits long-awaited by our valiant countrymen(Sponsored by Sen. Biazon);

  • SBN 3307, Flag and Heraldic Code, which recognizes the historic role of Muslim Filipinos in nation-building by adding one ray to the current eight rays of the sun in the Philippines flag and protocol on the proper display of our flag, official seals, coat of arms, and other heraldic items, and defined the manner of rendering Lupang Hinirang, Panunumpa sa Watawat and the National Motto (Sponsored by Sen. Gordon);

  • SBN 1863, Motorcycle Riders Helmet Act which requires the wearing of helmet and banned the riding in tandem especially with children (Sponsored by Sen. Revilla);

  • SBN 3288 (HBN 6516), Arnis as National Martial Art and Sport which recognizes the historic and athletic value of arnis in nation-building (Sponsored by Sens. Roxas and Zubiri);

  • SBN 3429, Free Patent Act, which recognizes the right of qualified Filipinos to the land they have tilled or stewarded by granting free patent on 1,000 square meters for residential/commercial and 12 hectares for agricultural lands (Sponsored by Sen. Gordon);

  • SBN 3298, Girl Scouts of the Philippines Charter Amendment, which vests the GSP with corporate powers and granted incentives wo that it can continue to promote the values of scouting and ideals of womanhood in the home, community and the world (Sponsored by Sen. Gordon);

  • SBN 3086, Philippine Disaster Risk Management, which will harmonize and modernize our response to disasters by fostering a disaster risk preparedness vision in all levels of governance (Sponsored by Sen. Biazon);

  • SBN 3389, Philippine Coast Guard, which strengthens the Philippine Coast Guard to increase its capability to protect our seaward boundaries and ensure the safety of maritime travel as it granted better compensation and retirement packages (Sponsored by Sen. Biazon);

  • SBN 3392, Local Water Districts Exemption from Income Tax which grants the Local Water Districts the same treatment on tax matters similar to that of government-owned and -controlled corporations, agencies or instrumentalities, condoned their tax due under certain conditions all towards ensuring their viability and people's access to clean and safe water (Sponsored by Sen. Lacson);

  • SBN 3396, Customs Brokers Act, which professionalizes the business of Customs brokerage and ensured the viability of the business and accountability of Customs brokers and brokerages (Sponsored by Sen. Lacson); SBN 3431, Agri-Agra Credit and Financing Act which mandates the strict compliance of financial institutions to allocate 25% of their loan portfolio to agriculture and agrarian-related activities (Sponsored by Sen. Legarda);

  • SBN 3220, Exchange of Information on Tax Matters, which harmonizes the mandate of relevant institutions to provide tax information in conformance with international agreements at the same time providing sufficient security and confidentiality of other vital information in order to facilitate trade, promote government interest, ensure transparency and for other purposes (Sponsored by Sen. Lacson);

  • SBN 3283, Eidul Adha as a Non-Working Holiday, setting a non-working holiday with movable date to enable Muslim Filipinos to observe the 10th day in the month at the end of the pilgrimage to Mecca (Sponsored by Sens. Escudero and Zubiri);

  • SBN 3284, Adlaw ni Lapu-Lapu as a Non-Working Holiday, which marks the 27th of April when our forefathers led by Lapu-Lapu gained victory over foreign colonizers (Sponsored by Sen. Gordon);

  • SBN 2454, SSS Condonation of Penalties of Delinquent Contributions, which gives delinquent firms several options to repay their liabilities at reasonable rates (Sponsored by Sen. Gordon);

  • SBN 150, Food Donation for Charitable Purposes, which encourages the donation of food in as much as these pass certain criteria and to avoid wastage in face of hunger among many Filipinos (Sponsored by Sen. Gordon);

  • SBN 2357, Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurisam Act, which protects the dignity and rights to privacy of a person (Sponsored by Sen. Escudero); and

  • SBN 3282, Electricity Rate Reduction Act, which will reduce electricity cost to consumers as service contractors pass on the benefit of reduced government share from the net proceeds from the sale of the indigenous energy resource (sponsored by Sen. President Enrile).

Pending in the House of Representatives:

  • SBN 3197, Competition Act, which will protect the Filipino consumer as well as institutions from abusive practices of cartels and monopolies such as price-fixing and bid-rigging (Sponsored by Sen. President Enrile).

"When we resume the Session after this very short break, our highest priority would be approving a budget responsive to the needs of our people especially with the recovery and rehabilitation we have to undertake after these recent calamities. The creation of the Climate Change Commission sponsored by Sen. Legarda is scheduled for signing this Friday."

Zubiri noted his colleagues' focus on legislation, "despite the early matchmaking in the political arena. It's to their credit that they carried on with their legislative work, even as the Presidential timbers in the Senate took to the hustings for the May 2010 elections. Whenever they were needed, Senators Legarda, Roxas, Escudero, Aquino and Madrigal held hearings and attended the Plenary Sessions."

"I am confident that the Senate will still finish more measures on its table as we would concentrate on legislation as presidentiables and reelectionists hold at bay their political activities for the May 2010 polls."

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