Lower House passes public Wi-Fi, 44 other bills
The House of Representatives approved on third and final reading 45 bills as the chamber’s leadership moved to act on at least 10 more bills of national application that have been included in the list of legislative priorities this month.
Nine of those approved on Tuesday are bills of national significance, including the proposal to provide free Wi-Fi Internet access in public areas which is included in the legislative priorities identified by leaders of the Lower House and Senate.
Also passed by the 210 House members present was House Bill 5241 which provides for the declaration of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary as a special non-working holiday.
Authored by Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas, HB 5241 sets December 8 of every year a special non-working holiday to allow at least 10 million Filipino Catholics to celebrate
the feast of the country’s patroness, St. Mary. The list of approved measures: HB 5241 – Declaring December 08 as Special Non-Working Holiday in the entire country to commemorate the Feast of the Immaculate Concepcion of Mary
HB 5152 – Requiring Higher Educational institutions to report expenditures in all college athletic programs
HB 5159 – Strengthening the provision of Emergency Health Care Service and prohibiting the demand for cash deposit in hospitals for emergency cases
HB 735 – An Act including a National Artist to be a member of the National Commission for Culture and Arts.
HB 5000 – An Act providing for the regulation of the Payment Systems
HB 5224 – Strengthening the Rules on the proper use of our national symbols and the rendition of the national anthem
HB 5225 – Mandating the provision of Free Wi-Fi and Internet Access in Public Areas
HB 5240 – Instituting a National Land Use and Management Policy
HB 5269 – Institutionalizing the National School Feeding Program for Public Kindergarten and Elementary pupils.
Local bills
The local bills approved are the following:
HB 622 – Declaring March 24 of every year a Special Non-Working Holiday in the City of Ligao, Albay in commemoration of its Foundation Day
HB 1341 – Renaming Hilltop Taytay Police Station as Camp General Licerio Geronimo
HB 1926 – Creating Bgy. Poblacion Dos in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental
HB 3179 – Creating the Mindoro State University
HB 5001 – Renaming Governor’s Drive traversing Binan, Laguna and Ternate, Cavite to Juanito R. Remulla, Sr. Road
HB 5002 – Renaming the Molino-Salawag Paliparan Road traversing Bgy. Talaba IV in Bacoor and Bgy. Paliparan I, Dasmarinas, Cavite as Bacoor-Dasmarinas National Road
HB 5003 – Renaming the road traversing Dolores, Taytay and Bgy. Bagombong, Jala Jala, Rizal as Jose Rizal Highway.
HB 5051 – Creating the Malabon City National Science and Mathematics High School.
HB 5052 – Establishing the Banahaw National High School, Leyte.
HB 5060 – Declaring March 31 of every year as Special Non-Working Holiday in Southern Leyte in commemoration of Limasawa Island’s First Mass
HB 5069 – Establishing the Second Engineering District of Compostela Valley
HB 5070 – Establishing the First Engineering District of Labo in Camarines Norte
HB 5071 – Establishing the Third Engineering District of Matalam in North Cotabato
HB 5078 – Reconstituting Lanao del Norte Engineering District Office to 2 regular Engineering Districts
HB 5079 – Creating the new Bukidnon Engineering District
HB 5123 – Renaming Molino Blvd. traversing Bgy. Talaba IV as Bacoor Blvd
HB 5146 – Establishing the Compostela Valley State College
HB 5147 – Creating the Talisay City State College in Talisay, Cebu
HB 5148 – Creating the Iloilo State University of Science and Technology
HB 5149 – Creating the Cotabato City State University
HB 5150 – Creating the Surigao del Norte State University
HB 5160 – Creating the City of Santo Tomas, Batangas
HB 5161 – Creating the Charter City of Navotas
HB 5162 – Constituting the Lone District of General Santos and South Cotabato
HB 2615 – Declaring September 11 of every year as Special Non-Working Holiday in Ilocos Norte as President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos Day
HB 705 – Declaring December 08 as Special Non-Working Holiday as Agoo Day in Agoo, La Union
HB 2737 – Extension of deadline to Commission on Higher Education from conversion to State University
HB 5151 – Creating the Mountain Province State University
HB 5172 – Declaring June 19 of every year a Special Non-Working Holiday in the whole province of Laguna in commemoration of Dr. Jose Rizal’s birthday
HB 5173 – Declaring September 17 of every year a Special Non-Working Holiday in Los Banos, Laguna in commemoration of its foundation Day
HB 5183 – Establishing the Hampangan National High School in Hilongos, Leyte
HB 5202 – Declaring May 15 of every year a Special Non-Working Holiday to be known as Adlaonan Surigao del Norte.
HB 5203 – Declaring August 15 of every year a Special Non-Working Holiday to be known as Catarman Day, Camiguin
HB 5211 – Granting extension of 25 year Franchise to Gateway UHF Broadcasting Network Philippines, Inc. (Hope Channel Philippines)
HB 5212 – Renewing another 25 year Franchise to Pilipinas Broadcasting Association, Inc
HB 5214 – Declaring January 6 of every year a Special Non-Working Holiday in commemoration of its charter Toledo City