GMA among House members with most bills filed

Detained former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is among members of the House of Representatives with the most number of bills filed over the past two years.

Arroyo authored 257 measures, according to a compilation made by the House secretariat. The report covers the period July 1, 2013 to July 13, 2015.

Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez topped the list with 740 bills and resolutions authored and co-authored.

Rodriguez chairs the ad hoc committee on the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law. Some of the recent measures he authored or co-authored are the Fair Competition Act, antidynasty bill, Freedom of Information bill, fiscal incentives rationalization bill and the economic charter change resolution principally authored by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.

Following Rodriguez in the list is Rodel Batocabe of partylist group Ako Bicol, who authored and co-authored a total of 714 measures.

In third place is Maximo Rodriguez of Abante Mindanao, with 690; followed by another Ako Bicol representative, Christopher Co, with 658 and Winston Castelo of Quezon City, with 565.

Eric Olivarez of Parañaque filed 444 bills and resolutions, while Marlyn Agabas of Pangasinan introduced 405 measures.

Carlos Zarate and Neri Colmenares of Bayan Muna presented 364 and 358 bills and resolutions, respectively. Terry Ridon of Kabataan filed 311 measures.

Arroyo, who is under hospital arrest for plunder at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City, is among several House members with more than 200 measures introduced.

Her son Diosdado, a Camarines Sur representative, filed 249 bills.

Prolific filers among female members of the House included Evelina Escudero of Sorsogon with 283 measures; Lani Mercado-Revilla of Cavite, 292; Angelina Tan of Quezon, 278; Emmi de Jesus of Gabriela, 270; Luzviminda Ilagan, also of Gabriela, 265; and Estrelita Suansing of Nueva Ecija, 202.

Gus Tambunting of Parañaque, meanwhile, filed 279 bills; Antonio Tinio of Alliance of Concerned Teachers, 230; Frederick Abueg of Palawan, 207; Gary Alejano of Magdalo, 204; Leopoldo Bataoil of Pangasinan, 203; Anthony del Rosario of Davao del Norte, 227; Xavier Jesus Romualdo of Camiguin, 203; and Marcelino Teodoro of Marikina, 216.