Senate President Francis Escudero announced on Friday that the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) is reconsidering the bill to reimpose mandatory Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) training due to insufficient information on the matter.
“Yung ROTC bahagya ding napag-usapan at nais doon sa LEDAC na ito’y tingnan muli dahil kulang pa yung impormasyon kaugnay niyan,” Escudero stated.
Despite this, LEDAC has retained the bill on its list of priority legislation.
The Senate President pointed out that not all priority bills hold the same level of urgency, with some being prioritized more than others. For instance, the Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act (PIFITA) has been put on the backburner.
“Nagbabago din kasi may ilang mga panukalang batas na priority at in-identify na priority noon subalit doon sa pinakahuling LEDAC ay tila hindi na o hindi na muna. Kabilang na yung if I’m not mistake…yung PIFITA. Identified siya as priority measure, it’s a tax measure but which Secretary Recto identified as perhaps more tax-eroding than enhancing. Ang usapan napagusapan noong LEDAC ay medyo iba-backburner siya,” Escudero explained.
Escudero mentioned that they are awaiting further details on proposed amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) and the proposed mining law.
“Matagal nang pinag-uusapan…pero wala pa namang tunay na laman kaugnay ng partikular na mga probisyong aamyendahan sa EPIRA. Ganoon din yung mining act, may inaprubahang bersyon ang Kamara pero ito’y nanggaling at nagmula sa isang mambabatas na di naman talaga galing sa Palasyo sa departmento o sa Malakanyang yung nilalaman noon,” Escudero noted.
He emphasized the importance of thoroughly studying and reviewing bills to ensure no bill approved by both Houses of Congress gets vetoed by the President.
Escudero hinted that the LEDAC’s list of priority bills could give an indication of what the President might push for in his upcoming State of the Nation Address (SONA).
“Ayokong pangunahan pa rin pero nauna na yung LEDAC bago ang SONA ng Pangulo so siguro madali niyo nang hulaan kung ano ang ilalaman ng talumpati ng Pangulo kaugnay ng mga panukalang batas na gusto niyang mapasa at matalakay nitong darating na Third Congress,” he said.
Escudero also proposed holding additional Senate plenary sessions on Thursdays, aside from the usual Monday to Wednesday sessions, to focus on local bills and non-contentious national bills. He noted that increasing the number of plenary session days from 70 to 93 would allow the Senate to address more legislative matters.
“Noong ako’y nasa Kamara din may session kami tuwing Huwebes pero para sa local bills at para doon sa mga kahit national bill na pag-aagreehan ng lahat na hindi naman kontrobersyal at di naman kailangang pagtalunan at pag-awayan… Umaasa ako at hihilingin ko sa aking mga kasamaha na ito’y magawa namin para nga mula 70 maging 93 araw yung aming sesyon sa pagtatrabaho,” Escudero said.