Passage of 7 bills pushed before 19th Congress adjourns

Before the end of the 19th Congress, the government is pushing for the passage of priority measures focused on improving connectivity, health care, as well as encouraging investments.

- —With Jose Rodel Clapano

In a statement yesterday, the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) said these measures were discussed by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council during the LEDAC meeting on May 29, and are scheduled for deliberation in the bicameral conference committee.

The priority measures are the Amendments to the Foreign Investors' Long-Term Lease Act, Rationalization of the Mining Fiscal Regime, Amendments to the Universal Health Care Act, the E-Government Act or E-Governance Act, the Konektadong Pinoy Act, the Virology Institute of the Philippines Act and the Blue Economy Act.

"We remain hopeful that the remaining set of bills will be passed just in time before the end of the 19th Congress," DEPDev Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.

Also being pushed for passage by the end of the current Congress are the National Government Rightsizing Program and the Amendments to the Right-of-Way Act.