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AUGUST 2019 NEWS

LIST: Duterte’s priority bills in SONA 2019

rightsizing bill in his 2017 SONA. Two in the Senate environment and natural
years later, he called yet again for the bill’s resources committee.
passage “to reconfigure the existing Metro Urgent utilization of coconut
Manila-centric bureaucracy and streamline levy fund for farmers
government systems in order to deliver Duterte said in his 2019 SONA, “I also
services without delay and within a short have not forgotten my commitment to uplift
2019 timeline.” the lives of coconut farmers.”
In the 17th Congress, the House passed In February 2019, Duterte vetoed a
n his 2019 State of the Nation Address Establish a Department of Overseas HB 5707 in July 2017, but it remained bill concerning the coco levy fund and the
(SONA) on July 22, President Rodrigo Filipinos pending in the Senate. Philippine Coconut Authority, saying the
IDuterte asked the 18th Congress to pass A Cabinet department for overseas Establish a Department of Disaster version passed by the House would likely put
Resilience
various laws within the last 3 years of his Filipino workers (OFWs) was among the fund in the hands of private individuals
term. Duterte’s campaign promises when he ran Duterte had called for the creation of a and would compromise executive branch
These are a mix of new proposals and for President in 2016. Department of Disaster Management in his actions.
laws he had sought for a long time. The President had even told the 2018 SONA. He also hit Landbank for not focusing
Reinstate death penalty for heinous Filipino community in Bahrain in April 2017 In the 17th Congress, the House passed on helping farmers, and being instead
crimes related to illegal drugs and that such department was about to come “in House Bill 8165 in October 2018, seeking “mired in so many commercial transactions.”
plunder a few months.” However, bills in the 17th the creation of a Department of Disaster The President gave Landbank until end-July
When he started his term as President, Congress did not prosper. Resilience. However, the bill remained to come up with a plan to help farmers more.
Duterte wanted to bring back the death Pass TRAIN 2 or Trabaho bill, as well as pending in the Senate until their terms “Or else, I will ask Congress to reconfigure
penalty “especially for drug traffickers.” 3 remaining tax reform packages ended. you, whatnot.”
He reiterated this plea in his 2017 SONA. The second of 5 tax reform packages Similar bills were filed in the 16th Pass National Defense Act, Uniformed
Two years later, in his 2019 SONA, Duterte by the Duterte administration, the Tax Congress (before Duterte’s presidency), but Personnel Separation Retirement
included plunder among the crimes Reform for Attracting Better and High- remained pending at the committee level. Pension Bill
Establish a Department of Water
punishable by death. Quality Opportunities (Trabaho) bill aims These legislative initiatives are “aimed
Resources and Water Regulatory
Plunder was included in a death to reduce the corporate income tax rate to at strengthening defense-related systems,”
penalty House bill in the 17th Congress, but 20%, broaden the tax base, and rationalize Commission said Duterte in his 2019 SONA.
was later removed in early 2017, along with tax incentives to businesses. In his SONA 2019 speech, President The National Defense Act, for instance,
rape and treason. The House passed that bill In his SONA 2018 speech, Duterte Duterte pitched to Congress the creation of seeks to update national defense policies,
in March 2017, but it has languished there hoped to have TRAIN 2 signed by the end this department to enact reforms in water include the defense secretary in the chain
since. of that year. In the 17th Congress, the House management in the country. of command, and exempt the purchase
In th e current 18th Congress, Senators Bong approved the Trabaho bill in September This Cabinet department has been of special defense equipment from the
Go and Manny Pacquiao had already filed 2018. However, similar versions of the bill proposed or supported by administration government procurement law, among other
bills seeking to reinstate the death penalty at the Senate remained pending at the ways senators Francis Tolentino and Bato dela proposals.
for illegal drugs. In Go’s bill, plunder was and means committee when session ended. Rosa. In March 2019, NEDA Secretary Meanwhile, Duterte in February
included as a capital offense. The 3 remaining packages seek to raise Ernesto Pernia also suggested its creation, 2019 certified as urgent a bill that seeks to
Postpone barangay, SK elections to the excise tax on both alcohol and tobacco, following a water crisis in Metro Manila, but reform the pension system for military and
October 2022 reform the real property valuation system, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo uniformed personnel.
Under Duterte’s term so far, the and revise the taxes on capital income and disagreed. Mandatory ROTC for Grades 11 and 12
barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) financial services. In the previous 17th Congress, one As early as April 2015, Duterte had
elections have been postponed twice: from Pass new Salary Standardization Law Senate bill and 6 House bills were filed, but pushed for the revival of the Reserve
October 2016, it was moved to October with pay raise for teachers, nurses none progressed beyond the committee Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). When
2017, then to May 2018. By then, the Duterte said in his SONA 2019 speech level. Duterte became president, he again
barangay officials had served for almost 5 that the compensation adjustment under Pass Fire Protection Modernization threw support behind the measure to
program
years, while SK posts had been vacant for the Salary Standardization Law (SSL) will “instill discipline and patriotism among
the same length of time. end this year. In his plea to pass a new SSL, Bills in the 17th Congress for this young Filipinos.” It was also in the list of
The barangay officials elected in May Duterte also wanted to include a pay raise legislation aimed to put up fire stations priority bills of the Legislative-Executive
2018, however, will serve for only two years, for public school teachers and nurses. and emergency medical services in every Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) in
until May 2020. In the 17th Congress, at least 12 bills local government unit, upgrade existing 2017.
In his SONA 2019 speech, Duterte were filed in the House and two in the equipment and services, and train personnel He mentioned it again in his 2019
asked Congress to postpone the next village Senate to upgrade the salary grades of public and volunteers using state-of-the-art tools SONA.
and youth council polls to October 2022 school teachers, who are currently at Salary to prevent and suppress fires. The House moved accordingly, passing
Enact National Land Use Act within 2019
“to rectify the truncated terms of sitting Grade (SG) 11. The measures want to raise HB 8961 in May 2019, requiring ROTC for
barangay officials.” this salary grade to at least SG 15, or as high The proposed law will regulate the use Grades 11 and 12. Duterte then certified the
Enact a Magna Carta for Barangays as SG 18, 19, or 20. Some proposals also and management of the country’s land and bill as urgent the following month. However,
A Magna Carta for Barangays aims seek an across-the-board increase of either water resources, and classify land according the Senate education, arts and culture
to declare barangay officials as regular P10,000 or P12,000, or set the basic salary to its use. committee did not take up the House bill
government officials, and further empower to P30,000. The President had mentioned the need until the end of the 17th Congress.
barangays to improve their delivery of All of these measures, however, for such a law since his 2017 SONA. The The same Senate committee approved
government services. remained pending at the committee level in Aquino administration had also certified its own version (also for Grades 11 and 12),
Two Senate bills – including the the 17th Congress. this measure as urgent in 2013. Senate Bill 2232, but it didn’t reach second
measure by Senator Koko Pimentel – and 4 Review and pass government In the 17th Congress, the House passed reading. – Rappler.com
rightsizing bill
House bills were filed in the 17th Congress HB 5240 in May 2017, but it remained
for this magna carta. Duterte had sought a government pending along with 5 similar Senate bills
Duterte yet to decide on Security of Tenure Bill

resident Rodrigo Duterte has yet to regarding the proposed measure, which Duterte said he could sign, veto or allow It also seeks to limit job contracting to
make up his mind on the bill seeking to was one of his campaign promises. the bill to lapse into law. licensed and specialized services and classify
Pend contractualization, which is set to “Pinag-aralan na namin mismo. I have to Several business groups had urged workers into regular and probationary
lapse into law by the end of this week. confer with a lot of people affected. you know Duterte to veto the bill, warning that its employees, treating project and seasonal
Duterte, speaking with the press after this is two to tango to eh. It would affect the enactment could lead to job losses and affect employees as regular employees.
his fourth State of the Nation Address at employers and of course it could also greatly the economy. —GMA News
the Batasang Pambansa on Monday, said favor the workers,” the president explained. The proposed measure would eliminate
that he had consulted with a “lot of people” “It’s a catch 22 for me.” the subcontracting of labor.