Duterte calls Congress for the immediate passage of at least 20 priority bills

July 27, 2020

President Rodrigo Duterte urged on Monday Congress to pass at least 20 priority measures, most of them have been pending in both Houses for a long time, to improve the lives of the Filipinos.

Among the bills he wants the Senate and the House of Representatives to immediately pass are the following:

* Bayanihan to Recover As One Act, which will supplement funds for recovery and response against the impact of coronavirus disease pandemic;

* Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises or CREATE Act. This immediately cuts the corporate income levy from the current 30 to 25 percent and give the government flexibility to grant a combination of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives, among others.

* Financial Institutions Strategic Transfer or FIST Act, which will set up mechanisms allowing banks and other financial institutions to dispose of and transfer non-performing assets and loans to asset management companies similar to Special Purpose Vehicles.

* Establishment of the Department of Overseas Filipinos solely on addressing the concerns of Filipinos abroad and their families;

* Revival of death penalty through lethal injection;

* National Housing Development bill;

* Rental Housing Subsidy bill;

* Amendment of Republic Act No. 10912 or the Continuing Professional Development Act of 2016;

* Advanced Nursing Education Act;

* Institutionalization of the Medical Reserve Corps;

* Creation of National Disease Prevention and Management Authority to better respond to future outbreaks;

* Unified System of Separation, Retirement and Pension of the Military and Uniformed Personnel. The proposed measure aims to adjust the pension system which will be applicable only to newly-hired uniformed personnel so as not to cause a "ballooning effect" against the budget of the military in the years to come and yet maintain the pension benefits of those already in service under the present law;

* Modernization of the Bureau of Fire Protection;

* Modernization of the Bureau of Immigration;

* Creation of Department of Disaster Resilience. This includes establishment of evacuation centers in every city, province and municipality throughout the country;

* National Land Use Act;

* Creation of the Boracay Island Development Authority or BIDA;

* Creation of the Coconut Farmers Trust Fund;

* Rural Agricultural and Fisheries Development Financing System Act, which aims to to provide adequate, accessible and affordable food for every Filipino through the Plant, Plant, Plant Program; and

* Internet Transaction Act, which aims to be responsive to the needs of the consumers while promoting the growth of e-commerce in the country.

"I thank Congress for its support to this administration’s programs. Congress has been very productive. But much more remains to be done," Duterte said. Celerina Monte/DMS