Press Release
March 13, 2008

Social legislation at the heart of Senate's bill-passing spree
Despite investigations, Senate remains focused on duty to legislate,
says Villar

Senate President Manny Villar today announced that since the opening of the First Regular Session, the Senate has passed 23 bills of national significance, "an achievement that proves that the Senate is not remiss of its duty to legislate."

"In the first eight months of the 14th Congress, we worked for the passage of social legislations crafted with the weaker sectors of society in mind. We intend to pass more bills promoting the common good for the rest of the year," Villar said, as the Senate plenary session takes a break in observance of the Holy Week.

While on recess, Villar said he authorized the chairmen of the committees to hold public hearings on priority matters referred to them.

"We take pride in what we do in the Senate. We conduct investigations, ratify treaty and deliberate on legislative proposals, while taking the time to appear before the Supreme Court and defend our mandate as a legislature under the Constitution," Villar said.

Villar noted the Senate position to let the Supreme Court rule on the constitutionality of former Socioeconomic Planning Sec. Romulo Neri's invocation of executive privilege was supported by legal luminaries such as Fr. Joaquin Bernas, former Supreme Court Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban, former SC Associate Justice Isagani Cruz and noted opinion-makers.

"The passage of 23 bills of national application is an unparalleled feat. In the history of the legislature, the Senate has never accomplished that much in so little time at the start of a new Congress," Villar said.

The Senate passed on third reading the following bills:

1. Senate Bill 1620- Granting additional retirement benefits to member of judiciary (October 1, 2007)

2. Senate Joint Resolution 4- Directing the Department of Justice, Philippine National Police, Department of Interior and Local Government, all law enforcement agencies and other government agencies tasked to enforce peace and order to issue the rules and regulations on presentation of suspects under their custody to the media (November 5, 2007)

3. SB 1646- Promoting Entrepreneurship by strengthening the development and assistance programs to micro, small and medium scale enterprises (November 5, 2007)

4. SB 1647- Providing for conduct time allowances to detention prisoners and those serving sentence by virtue of final judgment (November 5, 2007)

5. SB 1658- Providing for quality affordable medicines (November 5, 2007)

6. SB 1662 - Providing additional benefits and protection to househelpers (November 5, 2007)

7. SB 1697- Providing stiffer penalties for the crime of theft and robbery of portable telecommunications devices (November 5, 2007)

8. SB 1698- Expanding the promotion of breastfeeding (November 5, 2007)

9. SB 1699- Promoting environmental awareness through environmental education (November 5, 2007)

10. Senate Resolution 212- Resolution concurring in the ratification of the treaty on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons between the Philippines and Spain (November 26, 2007)

11. SB 1532- Providing compensation to victims of human rights violations during the Marcos regime (December 5, 2007)

12. SB 1882- Establishing a Provident Personal Savings Plan, known as the Personal Equity and Retirement Account (December 5, 2007)

13. House Bill 2454- General Appropriations Act (December 11, 2007)

14. SB 1648- Extending the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (December 12, 2007)

15. SB 1881- Establishing the Credit Information System (December 19, 2007)

16. SB 1964- Strengthening the University of the Philippines as national university (December 19, 2007)

17. HB 3156- Creating the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (December 19, 2007)

18. SB 1874- Declaring May 7 as Health Workers' Day (January 30, 2008)

19. SB 1710- Limiting the reappointment of a regular member of the Judicial and Bar Council who has already served the full term (February 4, 2008)

20. SB 1659- Allowing Filipino World War II Veterans to continue receiving Philippine government pensions and benefits even when similar pensions and benefits are provided by the US government (February 5, 2008)

21. SB 1965- Decriminalizing vagrancy, amending Article 202 of the Revised Penal Code (February 12, 2008)

22. SB 2009- Further expanding the organizational structure of the Court of Tax Appeals (March 3, 2008)

23. SB 2092- Establishing livelihood and skills training centers in 4th, 5th and 6th class municipalities (March 11, 2008)

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