THE House of Representatives under the leadership of Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Monday passed on third and final reading two more priority bills of the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC).
With 254 affirmative and four negative votes, the House approved House Bill (HB) 8078 or the proposed “30-Year National Infrastructure Program”, which seeks to sustain until 2052 the implementation of major infrastructure projects related to related to transportation, energy, water resources, information and communications technology, and agri-fisheries modernization and food logistics.
The House, 262 affirmative and two negative votes, also passed on third and final reading HB 8162, which seeks to institute a national land use policy and provide its implementing mechanisms. The bill would create the National Land Use Commission (NLUC) as the lead implementing agency.
Additional bills approved on final reading were: 1) HB 1171, or the proposed “One Town, One Product Philippines Act” which would, among others, provide assistance packages to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to fund significant improvements in product quality, product development, design, packaging, standards compliance, marketability, production capability, and brand development; 2) HB 7767, or the proposed “Integrated Coastal Management Act,” which seeks to adopt a national strategy for the holistic and sustainable management of coastal areas and related ecosystems; 3) HB 7922, which would establish a voucher system for poor and academically qualified students of private higher education institutions and private technical-vocational institutions; 4) HB 8009, or the proposed “Expanded Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children (E-VAWC) Act” which aims to protect women and children from electronic violence in various forms; 5) HB 7600, strengthening the powers and functions of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines; 6) HB 7939, rationalizing the disability pension of veterans, got 268 affirmative votes and one abstention; 7) HB 7986, declaring August 1 of every year a special working holiday, to be known as the “Promulgation of the Solemn Declaration of Philippine Independence”; and 8) HB 8008, providing indigent job seekers discounted or waived fees and charges in the issuance of certain pre-employment documents issued by government agencies.
The House approved on second reading 1) HB 7941, promoting the development of the bamboo industry; and 2) HB 7942, establishing an Agriculture Information System in all cities and municipalities. The system would provide an up-to-date database of agricultural and fisheries products in a locality, as well as secure information sharing between farmers and potential buyers of agricultural and fisheries products, among others. Both bills were sponsored on the floor by Committee on Agriculture and Food Chairman Rep. Wilfrido Enverga (ist District, Quezon).
The House also adopted Senate Bill 1615 as an amendment to HB 5961, which would recognize the municipality of Baler in the province of Aurora as the “Birthplace of Philippine Surfing” and declaring it an ecotourism destination.
Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Deputy Speaker Roberto Puno presided over the plenary session.
