Congress to tackle BBL, bills on economy, crime

THE DRAFT Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), a number of key economic bills, and priority bills itemized by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) are among the legislation expected to be tackled by the 17th Congress as it begins its Second Regular Session today, July 24.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte is also scheduled to address Congress in his second State of the Nation Address, a speech that, according to an official of the House of Representatives, is expected to be a little longer contrary to statements by Mr. Duterte’s spokesman.

“Definitely, it will be focused on more or less three topics,” Deputy- Secretary General for Legislative Operations Artemio Adasa, Jr. said in part in a statement by the House on Sunday, July 23.

“He will focus more on the economic successes during his term; law and order, which will delve on crime reduction and the success of the anti-illegal drug campaign; and peace, with reference to the ongoing negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front ( MILF) and the submission of the...(BBL) for his consideration, which is the end product of his negotiations by the peace panel,” Mr. Adasa also said.

Regarding legislative priorities that may be outlined on Monday, Mr. Adasa said these include bills previously listed by the LEDAC, some of which, he also noted, were already approved at the House.

Economic bills awaiting passage in the Senate include Senate Bill No. 1465, which aims to provide free irrigation service to small farmers (now awaiting third reading); the proposed Occupational Safety and Health Standards Act which aims to address two key areas of workers’ welfare (pending on second reading); and the proposed Coconut Levy Fund Trust Act, also on second reading, which aims to set in place the long withheld fund dating back to the Marcos regime.

“The passage of the Coco Levy Trust Fund Act is a campaign promise of then mayor and now President Rodrigo Duterte. He made this promise in front of a hundred coconut farmers, so it is expected that this be included among the urgent bills,” said Senator Francis N. Pangilinan, a leading advocate for the release of the controversial fund.

“We are optimistic that given the headway we made during the first regular session, this bill will be passed into law this second regular session,” Mr. Pangilinan also said, adding that the Senate for its part “should focus on bills geared towards poverty alleviation.”

Both free irrigation and the coconut levy fund are among the priorities listed by the LEDAC, together with the proposed Security of Tenure Act and Ease of Doing Business Act now pending on second reading in the Senate.

Also pending in the Senate, apart from the measures endorsed by the said council, are the tax reform bill, to follow after the House approved its version on final reading before the First Regular Session was adjourned; and the proposed People’s Freedom of Information (FoI) Act of 2016, which is expected to expand Mr. Duterte’s order on FoI covering the Executive. Also awaiting passage are bills aimed at crime prevention (a key campaign issue of Mr. Duterte), such as the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act of 2017, approved on second reading; and the AntiRape Act, pending on second reading.

For his part, Senate President Aquilino L. Pimentel III, in a speech last Friday, called anew for the passage of the BBL as a key step toward federalism. He vowed to “move for the convening of Congress as a constituent assembly so we can start now discussing the proposed amendment to our Constitution.”