111 laws passed under 16th Congress, the least since EDSA Revolution

The 16th Congress may be remembered as the Congress that failed to pass such relevant measures as the Bangsamoro Basic Law, Freedom of Information Bill and Anti-Dynasty Law.

It also decided against overriding the President Benigno Aquino III's veto of the P2,000 increase in the pension of Social Security System retirees.

Figures from the House of Representatives show that the 16th Congress is also the one that passed the least number of laws since the EDSA Revolution in 1986.

As of February 4, 2016, the 16th Congress passed 111 bills that President Benigno Aquino III either signed or that lapsed into law. The figure represents two percent of the 6,425 filed in the House of Representatives.

The 15th Congress, the first under the Aquino administration, passed 487 laws.

The next legislature with the second least number of laws passed was the 13th Congress under the Arroyo administration with 162.

The 16th Congress held its last session on Wednesday before taking a four-month recess for the campaign period, and the national and local elections in May.

When it resumes its session on May 23, it will be as the National Board of Canvassers that will process certificates of canvass from across the country.  It will adjourn sine die on June 10.

The Eighth Congress, the first since the late former dictator Ferdinand Marcos padlocked the Seventh Congress in 1972, passed the most number of laws with 991.

It was three percent of the more than 35,000 bills filed during those years.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte in December indicated that the 16th Congress did a good job of passing measures of national significance even if it passed fewer bills than in the previous Congress.

"Hindi naman sa paramihan ‘yan no. Kung iisipin mo, kamukha nung batas na Philippine Competition Law na pending for over 23 years in both chambers [of Congress], kami dito sa House ang nagpumilit na maipasa yun because that is a very important bill,” Belmonte told reporters then.

Senate President Franklin Drilon admitted that investigations on the pork barrel scam, corruption allegations against Vice President Jejomar Binay, among others, took the time of the chamber.

"All these investigations notwithstanding, we did not neglect our principal duties of enacting laws and policies for the good of our country," said Drilon.

"This Congress was not affected by the controversies we saw in the past three years," he added.

Quality over quantity

Dr. Milwida Guevara of the Movement for Good Governance on Friday said that the number of bills passed was not the sole indicator of Congress’ performance. Rather, the people should look into the contents of the laws passed.

“Palagay ko hindi [nasusukat ang performance ng Kongreso base sa bilang ng panukalang batas na naipasa]," Guevarra said.

"Kasi dapat iyong laman o significance ng kanilang ipinasa. Kasi minsan sa dami, nagre-rename lang ng eskuwelahan.... Hindi nabibilang iyon sa dami. Doon nabibilang sa quality,” she added. -Amita Legaspi, Trisha Macas and GMA News Research, graphic by Jessica Bartolome/NB, GMA News