House to focus on ‘highest’ priorities before campaign period

SPEAKER Feliciano Belmonte Jr. vowed Tuesday to devote the remaining nine session days of the House of Representatives to “act swiftly on the highest priorities.”

“There is still much to be done, and much that can be done this 2013, and I would like to believe this Congress remains ready to hurdle whatever lies ahead,” Belmonte said.

Belmonte earlier mentioned the antitrust measure and the freedom of information (FOI) bill as priority. The FOI bill is in the period of sponsorship while the antitrust measure is pending for second reading vote.

Congress will resume session on January 21 until February 8 before it adjourns for the campaign period for the May midterm polls.

“We have worked under tremendous time limitations in the past and have still managed to make significant gains and meet our targets,” Belmonte said.

“We should make this our cue to remain focused on our goals and continue to remain in sync – with one another as legislators and with our people and their priorities,” he added.

Belmonte cited the substantive achievements of the House for the past two years, including the enactment of the controversial reproductive health (RH) and sin tax laws.

He noted that the RH bill had been pending since the 11th Congress, while the sin tax measure failed to hurdle plenary during the 14th Congress.

Records show that 4,038 measures were processed from July 26, 2010 until December 2012. Of this number, the House passed 2,579 measures and 207 became law. About 13 ratified bicameral conference committee reports await enrollment prior to presidential action.

Six measures are in bicameral deliberation, while 736 national and local bills were approved on third reading and 17 national and local measures passed second reading.

Some 1,584 resolutions and reports were adopted by the plenary, which also passed 24 measures each during the 165 session days. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)