Expect performance from well-balanced Senate - Revilla

Senator Ramon "Bong "Revilla Jr. today expressed optimism that after the much anticipated committee assignments in the Senate, he and his colleagues can now start with their legislative work.

"Now that the committee chairmanships have been finalized, we can set aside our political differences. It's time for the 14th Congress to work as we should," Revilla said. Revilla urged his fellow senators to set aside political differences, buckle down to work and become a united and independent Senate. The lawmaker added that it is now time to pursue a legislative agenda that would address the constituency's concerns, especially now that the committee chairmanships have been evenly assigned to administration and opposition senators.

"I see a very well-balanced Senate, with members of the opposition being chairmen of key committees," Revilla stressed.

The senator regained two committees he already chaired during the previous congress, the Committee on Public Works and the Committee on Public Information and Mass Media.

"It will be best for the public's interest that we start working at once. What happened before the committee assignments is just a part of a democratic process. We all want to serve our countrymen, we just have different viewpoints on pursuing it," he pointed out.

For his part, Revilla laid out his 10 -point legislative agenda for this present Congress: Passing legislation that will expedite the completion of vital infrastructure projects in the country; Legislation for social infrastructure; Legislation against cybersex and pornography; Reviving the Local Movie Industry; Strengthening Anti-Piracy laws and amendments to the Intellectual Property Code and others laws if necessary; Providing a framework that will give more powers to the 41, 882 barangays nationwide and support any move for the amendment of the Local Government Code of 1991; Passing crucial legislation that focuses on the important stakeholders in the education sector; Strengthening the programs of government on both formal, non-formal and technical education as well as improving the curriculum of the public school system; Developing better support and incentives for the development and empowerment of the youth sector; and rationalizing the sports development program of the government that responds to the needs of the athletes , down to the grassroots level, and institutionalizing transparency and proper accountability of government officials.

Revilla meanwhile challenged the newly- assigned chairmen of the committees to double their effort to equal o better still, surpass the performance of the last Senate. "I express my confidence on the new composition of the Senate. May the Senate chairmen live up to the expectations of the Filipino people," he added.