Press Release
February 20, 2008

AMID SENATE INVESTIGATIONS
Villar: Multitasking Senate passes 22 bills

As proof that the Senate has not reneged on its lawmaking function amid its investigations, at least 22 bills have been passed since the opening of the 14th Congress First Regular Session, emphasized Senate President Manny Villar.

The Senate President said, "Our focus remains fixed on the passage of priority legislation that will benefit our common people."

"As a multitasking body, we have already passed 22 bills and look forward to the approval of more measures in our lineup of priority," Villar, Nacionalista Party president, said.

The Senate has passed 22 bills since the opening of the 14th Congress First Regular Session, including eight of nine priority legislation identified by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council.

The measures are: (1) the General Appropriations Act; (2) Promoting entrepreneurship by strengthening the development and assistance programs to micro, small and medium-scale enterprises; (3) Granting additional retirement benefits to members of the judiciary; (4) Directing the DOJ, PNP, DILG, all law enforcement agencies and other government agencies tasked to enforce peace and order to issue rules and regulations on the presentation of suspects under their custody to the media; (5) Providing for good conduct time allowances to detention prisoners and those serving sentence by virtue of final judgment; (6) Providing stiffer penalties for the crime of theft and robbery of portable telecommunications devices; (7) Providing compensation to victims of human rights violations during the Marcos regime; (8) Limiting the reappointment of a regular member of the Judicial and Bar Council who has already served a full term; (9) Decriminalizing vagrancy, amending article 202 of the Revised Penal Code; (10) Resolution concurring in the ratification of the Treaty on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons between the Republic of the Philippines and the Kingdom of Spain; (11) Providing for quality affordable medicines; (12) Providing additional benefits and protection to househelpers (Kasambahay); (13) Expanding the promotion of breastfeeding; (14) Promoting environmental awareness through environmental education; (15) Establishing a provident personal savings plan, known as the Personal Equity and Retirement Account; (16) Extending the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund; (17) Establishing the credit information system; (18) Strengthening the University of the Philippines as a National University; (19) Creating the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines; (20) Declaring May 7 of every year as Health Workers Day; (21) Allowing Filipino World War II Veterans to continue receiving Philippine government pensions and benefits even when similar pensions and benefits are provided by the United States government; and (22) an Act improving judicial administration by strengthening the Court of Tax Appeals.

The achievement on the part of the Senate is record-setting since the chamber is not usually able to pass measures during the First Regular Session.

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