Miriam laments Senate inaction on bills vs. ‘epal’ politicians, political dynasties

Senator Miriam Defensor said Friday that she is disappointed at the failure of some Senate committees to act on bills she filed, adding some of her colleagues may fear the effects her proposed measures will have if enacted.

 

“I am disappointed that some committees are sitting on many of my bills, even when there is wide public support for my proposals. These bills will not even be debated on,” the senator said in a press statement.

 

Among her bills languishing at the committee level are the Anti-Epal Bill, the Anti-Political Dynasty Bill, the Magna Carta for Call Center Workers, and the Magna Carta for Philippine Internet Freedom.

The Anti-Epal Bill, or Anti-Signage of Public Works Bill, bars politicians from taking credit for public projects by putting their names on them. The proposal, as well as Santiago's bill that seeks to operationalize a Constitutional ban on political dynasties, has received widespread public support.

The Magna Carta for Call Center Workers, meanwhile, seeks to ensure the rights of workers in the business process outsourcing industry, including the right to safe working environments and the right to form unions.

The Magna Carta for Philippine Internet Freedom, meanwhile, is a replacement for the controversial Cybercrime Prevention Act and also seeks to ensure the rights of Internet users to privacy and to quality service.
 

“I suspect that powers that be fear how these bills will impact our political system,” said Santiago.

 

Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, chairman of the Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation, is already drafting a subtitute bill to Santiago's Anti-Political Dynasty bill.

 

That substitute bill is expected to be submitted to the plenary when the Senate resumes in July.

 

Santiago, who has been on medical leave since last year due to stage 4 lung cancer, has filed the most bills and resolutions of the 24 members of the Senate.

 

According to a document from the Senate bills and resolutions index service, the senator has filed a total of 1,324 bills and resolutions — a fifth of the total number of bills and resolutions filed — as the Senate adjourned sine die on June 11.

 

She was followed by detained Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada with 642 bills and resolutions and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV with 344.

Taking bills and resolutions separately, Santiago filed 671 bills and 629 resolutions.

 

“Only my body is sick, not my brain. I am not yet physically fit to attend plenary sessions. However, I have managed to discharge my duties as chair of certain Senate committees and I continue to file bills and resolutions on a weekly basis.” Santiago said.

 

Santiago was senator from 1995 to 2001 and from 2004 to 2010. She was re-elected in 2010 and her term ends in 2016.

 

Despite her condition, the senator remains widely popular on social media, with many touting the relevance of measures she files and the popularity of her book “Stupid is Forever.”

 

Her name is also still being floated as one of the leading possible candidates for the presidential elections in 2016.

According to a Pulse Asia survey released Thursday, Santiago was at sixth place with six percent of the respondents choosing her as their next president. — Amita Legaspi/JDS, GMA News