Press Release November 22, 2007 VILLAR: 12 BILLS LINED UP FOR APPROVAL Senate President Manny Villar said 12 more measures seeking to uplift the lives of the citizenry are lined up for approval in the Senate. These measures include the 2008 General Appropriations Act, the Personal Equity Retirement Act (PERA), the Human Rights Compensation Act, the Credit Information Bureau, the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, the University of the Philippines Charter, the World Health Day, Firemen and Police Additional Incentives Act, World War II Veterans Assistance Act, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Term of Office, and two other AFP bills. Approved on second reading yesterday were the Human Rights Compensation Act and the PERA bill. Also ratified was the RP-Spain treaty on the treatment of detained citizens of both countries. During the Newsmakers' Forum held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Ortigas, Villar said the Senate, with four weeks left in its legislative calendar before yearend, is also prioritizing the possible calendaring of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement, and the ratification of the Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and Australia. Meantime, the Senate has already passed nine bills on third reading, Villar said, "and this is an accomplishment considering that normally, during the First Regular Session, the Upper Chamber is unable to pass measures," he said. "As I have underscored, we are multi-tasking," the Nacionalista Party president said. The nine measures passed by the Senate are:
Villar said the Senate also remains committed to carrying out its check-and-balance function through various investigations of alleged government irregularities like the ZTE broadband deal and the bribery scandal. |
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