THE House of Representatives, under the leadership of Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, worked overtime from Tuesday afternoon to early Wednesday morning to deliberate and pass bills of national importance, particularly on education.
The House unanimously approved on third and final reading House Bill (HB) 11214, or the proposed “Private Basic Education Vouchers Assistance Act,” which would establish the Private Basic Education Voucher Program aimed at improving public access to quality basic education through the provision of financial assistance to learners from public schools.
The measure also expands the government educational subsidies to cover learner expenses from kindergarten all the way to senior high school. It received 202 votes.
HB 11214 provides for the creation of the Bureau of Public Education under the Department of Education (DepEd), that will administer, supervise and regulate matters relating to private basic education institutions, including government assistance and subsidies.
The larger chamber also approved unanimously on third and final reading HB 11213, or the proposed “Education Pathways Act,” with 200 votes. The bill would provide young learners the option to graduate after four years of high school, or prepare themselves for another two years of pre-university education after high school, if they so choose.
Under the bill, students who complete junior high school may either go for 1) the University Preparatory Program under the DepEd, and 2) the Technical-Vocational Program under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
Also unanimously approved on third and final reading were HB 11198, declaring the month of September every year as the “National Bullying Awareness and Prevention Month Act,” which received 202 votes, and HB 11255, which garnered 205 votes, mandating the Philippine Postal Corporation to adopt a modernized zone improvement plan code system.
The House also approved on second reading HB 11370, or the proposed “Magna Carta of Children,” principally authored by Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez and Tingog Partylist Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez. It would establish a comprehensive legal framework that enshrines and protects the rights of children in alignment with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, ensuring they receive appropriate care, respect and dignity.
Also passed on second reading was HB 11286, which seeks to strengthen the administration of excise tax on tobacco products, cigars, cigarettes, heated tobacco products, vapor products and novel tobacco products. The bill defines the crime of illicit trade of covered products and imposes commensurate penalty for its commission;
Other bills passed on second reading were (1) HB 11317, providing an additional ground for cancelling the certificate of candidacy of a candidate and making the acts of a nuisance candidate an election offense; (2) HB 11355, strengthening the Bureau of Animal Industry, and creating for the purpose an Animal Competitiveness Enhancement Fund; (3) HB 11357, strengthening the Philippine Healthcare System to achieve efficiency and equity, and to improve public health emergency preparedness; and (4) HB 11337 or the proposed “Magna Carta For Informal Ambulant Vendors.”
Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, as well as Deputy Speakers Antonio “Tonypet” Albano and Kristine Singson-Meehan presided the session that started 3 p.m.Tuesday until 2:16 a.m. Wednesday.
