House that passed 'game-changing' laws adjourns for May polls

MANILA – "We will be remembered as the House that passed the most number of historic and game-changing laws with less histrionics."

This was the statement of House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. before Congress adjourned Wednesday night to give way to the campaign period for the May midterm polls.

"We substituted discipline for drama and the result is a rich harvest of laws that will improve the lot of our people and our country," Belmonte said.

The House Speaker specifically cited the enacted laws on reproductive health (RH) and sin taxes as the 15th Congress' "banner legislation for change."

He also cited the House-approved bill providing compensation to human rights victims during the Martial Law era, which is yet to be signed by President Benigno Aquino III.

"In these laws, we prove that no one can stop a House bent on making the most of its time and mandate from passing laws whose time have come," he said.

The House of Representatives under the leadership of Belmonte also enacted the GOCC Governance Act of 2011, the Act Further Strengthening the Anti-Money Laundering Law, and the Data Privacy Act.

It also passed laws Rationalizing the Nightwork Prohibition on Women Workers, the Act Decriminalizing Vagrancy, the Foster Care Act for Abandoned and Neglected Children And Children With Special Needs, the Act Establishing the People's Survival Fund, Kasambahay Law or the Domestic Workers Act, Defining the Crime of Financing of Terrorism, and the Anti-Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance Act.

The House will resume session for three days on June 3 to June 5 before it adjourns sine die. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)