Senate to pass 3 landmark bills when session resumes

The Senate aims to pass on third and final reading landmark bills, including reforms to the country’s criminal justice system, promoting mental health and small enterprises, as Congress resumes session on Tuesday.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said the Senate is “very eager” to resume its work following the Lenten recess, starting with the approval of the amendments to the Revised Penal Code in Senate Bill 14, Mental Health Act of 2017 (SB 1354), and the Philippine Innovation Act (SB 1355).

The amendments to the Revised Penal Code, authored and sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, will “adjust the amounts stipulated in various provisions of the 80-year-old penal code to their present values in order to ensure the proportionality of punishment.”

The Mental Health Act of 2017, primarily authored and sponsored by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, aims to “promote mental health, promulgate a national mental health policy towards the enhancement of integrated mental health services, and the promotion and protection of persons utilizing mental health services” among others.

The Philippine Innovation Act, authored and sponsored by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, will “promote innovation and internationalization activities of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs),” through the creation of the interagency National Innovation Council and other programs.

Nearly five weeks before Congress goes on sine die adjournment in June, Pimentel said the proposed shift to federalism remains the “highest priority” for the Senate.

“We will continue to push for the legislative mechanism which will start the process of shifting to a federal government, in order to bring solutions to some of the country’s long-standing ills and problems,” he said.