BBL, Charter change lead legislative agenda

CONGRESS RESUMES session on Tuesday with the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) leading the priority measures of both chambers and charter change and amendments to the Human Security Act among the Senate’s priorities.

The proposed BBL or Senate Bill No. 1717, which remained pending on second reading, would establish the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region and replace the existing Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The House Committee on Local Government is set to hold on Tuesday a joint meeting with the Committees on Muslim Affairs and on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity to draft the committee report on House Bill (HB) 6475 in consolidation with three other bills on BBL.

Voting 2-3, the House panels on April 16 moved to adopt HB 6475, principally authored by Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez. The bill is similar to the version submitted by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) to the House.

This will be consolidated with HBs 92, 6121, and 6263, authored by Representatives Bai Sandra A. Sema, Gloria M. Arroyo, and Mohammad Khalid Q. Dimaporo, respectively.

“We want to finish it ( BBL) before we adjourn sine die,” Deputy Speaker Raneo E. Abu told BusinessWorld in a text message. “And be part of the SONA ( State of the Nation Address) of the President when we open the third regular session of (the) 17th Congress.”

The Senate, for its part, will also prioritize charter change proposals in the proposed shift by the Duterte administration towards a federal form of government.

Another priority measure is the Prevention of Terrorism Act of 2017 or Senate Bill No. 1715 which seeks to amend the Human Security Act and impose stiffer penalties for individuals committing acts of terror. The bill was introduced by Senate Majority Leader Vicente C. Sotto III.

On proposed measures aimed at improving government processes, the Senate prioritized the proposed Open Access in Data Transmission Act, the Philippine Energy Research and Policy Institute Act, the National Museum Act, the Retirement Law of the Office of the Ombudsman, amendments to the Fair Elections Act, as well as the proposed Department of Disaster Response and Preparedness and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Also in the Senate’s list of priority bills are reforms to the justice system such as the proposed Anti-Discrimination Act, Criminal Investigation Act, and the Community Service in lieu of Imprisonment Act.