FOI, Bangsamoro among Aquinos priority bills The list, transmitted to the House of Representatives, contains bills pertaining to the 2015 budget, DAP, investments, the Philippine territories, peace and order, among others MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang submitted to the House of Representatives on Wednesday, July 30, the list of proposed laws that President Benigno Aquino III wants prioritized during the second regular session of Congress. The list includes the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill, the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, the 2015 budget, as well as supplemental budget for programs and projects that were affected by the Supreme Court ruling that certains schemes in the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) were unconstitutional. The President’s list of priority measures was transmitted by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr to House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. Rappler July 30, 2014 The list includes: Measures endorsed by the President in his 2014 State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday • P2.606 trillion national budget for 2015 • Supplemental Budget for 2014 to fund programs and projects under the DAP • The joint resolution that will clarify the budgetary items listed in the DAP • Proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law • Uniformed Personnel Pension Reform bill • Extended filing of notice of coverage under Land Reform Program • Freedom of Information bill Economic bills, some of which were mentioned in the 2013 SONA • Rationalization of fiscal incentives • Amendments to the Build-Operate-Transfer Law • Amendments to the law on right-of-way of government infrastructure projects • Amendments to the Cabotage Law • Amendments to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas charter • Removal of investment restrictions in specific laws cited in the Foreign Investment Negative List • Rationalization of the Mining Fiscal Regime • The competition law Bills pertaining to national security, public order and safety • Whistle Blowers Protection Act • Amendment to the Human Security Act • Revision of the criminal code • Delineation of the Philippine maritime zone/archipelagic sea lanes Other proposed measures • Act Instituting Reforms in Land Administration • National Land Use Act • Delineation of Specific Forest Limits of Public Domain • Water Sector Reform Act • Civil Service Code Reform • Magna Carta of the Poor • Act Protecting Rights of Internally Displaced Persons • Amendments to the Anti-Enforced Disappearance Law • Strategic Trade Management Act • Amendments to the Ombudsman Law • Converting Bantayan Island into alienable and disposable land Ochoa said the bills “intend to achieve inclusive growth,” and “are projected to result in a high, sustained, and broad-based economic growth that generates mass employment and draws the majority of the people into the economic and social mainstream, reduce poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals.” He said the bills were included in the priority list based on the impact on people and resources, legal basis, and the political objectives they will achieve. “It is further hoped that these measures will improve the quality of governance, boost the market’s essential institutional infrastructure, and support an economy that guarantees full, equal and universal enjoyment of all human rights,” the executive secretary said. – Rappler
Posted on: Wed, 30 Jul 2014 12:10:03 +0000