KIKO: PUBLIC INTEREST MEASURES PASSED ON SECOND READING

Senate bills crafted to directly benefit the public have already been passed on second reading, following the passage of public interest measures such as the Cheaper Medicines Law and the income tax exemption on minimum wage earners.

These bills include the proposed Pre-Need Code (SB 2077) which seeks to provide better protection for plan holders, and the Tourism Act (SB 2213) aimed at strengthening and promoting our country's tourism sector.

"The general standard here in the Senate has always been to find feasible ways of helping the people. We are elected to do this. Sa taumbayan ang Senado. We face the challenges as a country, but more important than this, we have to find solutions as a nation," Senate Majority Leader and Independent senator Kiko Pangilinan today said.

As Majority Leader, Senator Kiko is in-charge with keeping the Senate's legislative agenda on track.

"These laws and bills are one of the manners by which we extend our collective effort to improve our country. May abot-kayang halaga ng gamot, halimbawa, ang hindi na pagkaltas ng buwis sa mga sumasahod ng minimum wage, o siguraduhin hindi mapupunta sa wala ang mga pinaghihirapang hulog sa pre-need plans. Mga sagot ang hinihintay ng taumbayan, hindi mga tanong at pamumulitika," Kiko said.

Under Senator Kiko's sponsorship, for his part in the current Congress, the new University of the Philippines charter became law after more than a decade in the legislative mills.