MANILA, July 12 — The 17th Congress of the House of Representatives had a highly productive first regular session as it put forward several landmark legislations aimed at uplifting the lives of the Filipino people, particularly the poor.
According to statistical data provided by the Press and Public Affairs Bureau, the lower chamber approved on third and final reading a total of 210 bills in the entire period of the first regular session.
Of this number, 180 bills are still awaiting action from the Senate, while the remaining measures are either in bicameral conference committee or for signature of the President to become full-fledged laws.
Among the most significant achievements of the House for the first regular session is the passage of the Free College Education Bill.
The said bill grants free tuition in state universities and colleges (SUCs) as well as state-run technical-vocational schools.
The House also approved the bill extending the validity of Philippine passports from five years to 10 years. This would mostly benefit millions of Overseas Filipinos Workers (OFWs) as it saves their time and money from renewing their passports every five years.
Apart from the 10-year validity of passports, the lower chamber approved the five-year validity of driver’s licenses not just to ease the burden of motorists but also to cut government red tape.
Furthermore, the House also passed a joint resolution granting a PHP2,000 increase in the monthly pension of Social Security System pensioners.
Another bill seeks to impose stiffer penalties against hospitals which refuse to provide basic emergency services to patients who cannot make advanced payments. This will ensure that poor patients are given proper medical treatment that could save their lives in emergency and serious situations.
The Free WiFi bill, on the other hand, provides Internet access in public places across the country, which was one of the campaign promises of President Rodrigo Duterte. (Filane Mikee Cervantes/PNA)
