Senators file priority bills in 19th Congress

Several senators have already started filing the their respective priority bills on Monday few weeks before the formal opening of the 19th Congress.

First to file her bills is the most senior lawmaker in the chamber, Senator Loren Legarda with the proposed One Tablet, One Student Act tagged as Senate Bill No. 1.

Following the principle of seniority or the length of service in the Senate, the next set of bills were filed by Senators Lito Lapid, and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., who have each served 15 years in the upper chamber.

Among the priority bills that Lapid filed are Monthly Social Pension for Indigent Persons with Disability Act, Free Professional Examinations Act, Tourist Protection and Assistance Act, Climate Resilient Agriculture Act, and Medical Bill Transparency Act.

Revilla filed the following measures: Amendments to Centenarians Act of 2016, Pantawid Magsasakang Pilipino Act, Free Public Housing Act, Revival of Philippine Movie Industry Act of 2022, Teaching Supplies Allowance Act of 2022, Family Medical Leave Act of 2022, Kaayusan sa Adhikaing Pagamutan Act, Amendment to the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, and the Right to Adequate Food Act.

Next was Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who has served in the Senate for 12 years, filing the Strengthening the National Wages and Productivity Commission Act, Magna Carta for Workers, Enterprises and Organizations in the Informal Economy Act, Condonation of Penalties for Unpaid SSS Contributions of Household Employers Act, Working Time Flexibilization in the Private Sector Act, Protection to Freelancers Act, Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, 20% Discount in Payment of Fees and Charges for Certain Certificates and Clearances for Indigent Job Applicants Act, Fixed Monthly Salaries for Public Utility Vehicle Divers and Conductors, National Manpower Data and Placement Center Act, and National Employment Assistance Center of the Philippines Act.

Estrada was followed by Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III whose top priority bill was the measure seeking the suspension of the imposition of VAT and Excise Tax on Fuel. The other measures he filed include the proposed Act Modernizing Philippine Orthopedic Center and a resolution calling for an Investigation on the Frequent Changes in the Philippine Bank Notes and Coins Initiated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, among others.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/economy/836966/koko-pimentel-files-bill-seeking-suspension-of-vat-excise-taxes-on-fuel/story/

Senator Sonny Angara, who has served the chamber for nine years, was next on the list, filing the following measures: Exports and Investments Development Act, E-Health System and Services Act, Healthcare Facility Augmentation Act, Satellite Specialty Hospital Act of 2022, Teaching Supplies Act of 2022, Underprivileged Students Discount Act of 2022, Magna Carta for Workers in the Informal Economy, Poverty Reduction Through Social Entrepreneurship (PRESENT) Act, Right to Adequate Food Framework Act, and a resolution urging the Senate Committee on Finance to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation on the budgetary requirements of the governments industrialization and employment-generation initiatives.

Senators Joel Villanueva and Risa Hontiveros, who have both served the Senate for six years have also introduced their bills on Monday.

In line with her committee, Hontiveros' top bill was the SOGIE Equality Act which was followed by the Anti Hospital Detention Act, Lingap Para Kay Lolo at Lola Act, Bantay Dagat Act, Rights of Nature Act, Free Dialysis for Senior Citizens Act, Anti-Endo and Contractualization Act, Philippine Rise Marine Resource Reserve Act, Dissolution of Marriage Act, and the Maternity Benefit for Women in the Informal Economy Act.

Villanueva's top bill, the Trabaho Para Sa Lahat ng Pilipino Act, was also consistent with his pro-labor sector advocacy.

It was followed by the End of Endo Act, Public Service Regularization Act, Institutionalization of TUPAD Emergency Employment Program, Expanding the Unemployment Insurance Benefits Program, Alternative Working Arrangements Act, Work From Home for Businesses in Economic Zones, Freelance Workers Protection Act, Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers Act, and P100 Billion Stimulus Bill for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises.

Senators Bong Go and Francis Tolentino have also filed their respective priority bills on Monday.

Go was the first one to refile a bill seeking to create the Department of Disaster Resilience which has been pushed since the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Tolentino prioritized the filing of the bill which defines rest hours and providing penalties for any violation thereof.

The other measures that he filed were the bill further defining the baselines of the Philippine Territory including its maritime features, an Act Establishing a Rental Subsidy Program for Informal Settlers Families, An Act Establishing the Philippine Agricultural High School System, An Act Allowing Voter Registration and Voting by Mail or Other Electronic Means, Voting by Overseas Filipino Workers and Seafarers, An Act Protecting Traditional Knowledge, Traditional Cultural Expression and Genetic Resources, An Act Amending the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, An Act Expanding the Coverage of the Telecommuting Act, An Act Institutionalizing the Filipino First Policy in the Government Procurement Reform Act, and  An Act Allowing the Use of Waste-To-Energy Technology for Electricity, Fuel and Heat Generation.

Other senators have yet to disclose their priority bills to the media.

Under Section 61 of the rules of the Senate, all bills and resolutions shall be filed with the Office of the Secretary whether the Senate is in session or not.—LDF, GMA News