Press Release
June 21, 2011

Enrile hails the enactment of 4 legislative measures

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile today hailed the enactment of four important pieces of legislation, which he says, will go a long way in uplifting the lives of the poor and the marginalized sector of society.

The four Bills signed into law today included Senate Bill 2846, which seeks to amend Republic Act 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2001 to extend the implementation of the lifeline rate by another 10 years; Senate Joint Resolution No. 9, extending the Joint Congressional Power Commission; SB 138, which requires that all children under five years old be given mandatory basic immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases; and Senate Bill 2710, which allows women employees to work at night.

"Had the passage of Senate Bill 2846, extending the lifeline rate subsidy to another ten years not been signed into law, consumers would have been faced with paying the exorbitant cost of electricity once they receive their electric bills come July," Enrile said.

The Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) initially packaged the discounted rates for the marginalized end-users for 10 years or until June 26, 2011. Under the lifeline subsidy scheme, residential consumers in the higher consumption bracket would have to pay extra cost as subsidy to their poorer counterparts.

Senate Joint Resolution No. 9, on the other hand, sought to extend the existence of the Joint Congressional Power Commission (JCPC) for another 10 years to "ensure that the goals and objectives of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2001 and the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 are fully achieved."

Enrile also commended the President for signing into law Senate Bill 2710, which amends Article 130 of the Labor Code, prohibiting women employees in the industrial, commercial and agricultural fields from working at night.

"By signing SB 2710, the President acknowledges the right of women to have equal opportunities in the workforce, and gives them more than a fighting chance in helping their husbands uplift the lives of their families," Enrile said.

"Lifting the prohibition of women from work between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. will allow for more of our womenfolk to enter the workforce, especially in call centers, currently the most in-demand industry in the country today," Enrile added.

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