By Wilnard Bacelonia | Philippine News Agency
The Senate approved six key measures on Monday as lawmakers reconvened for the final six session days of the 19th Congress.
Among the measures passed was Senate Bill No. (SBN) 890, or the Government Optimization Act, which empowers the President to streamline the executive branch through a five-year rightsizing program aimed at eliminating redundant functions and improving service delivery.
The bill, principally authored by Senate President Francis Escudero, was passed with 22 affirmative votes and no opposition.
Escudero said the bill is not meant to downsize the workforce but to optimize it, “Rightsizing is about streamlining the bureaucracy… upgrading, upskilling, and upscaling personnel to help them fill up much-needed positions and put them on the path toward career advancement,” he said.
Under the measure, a “Committee on Optimizing the Executive Branch” will oversee the implementation of the Government Optimization Program.
It covers all agencies under the Executive branch, excluding constitutional offices, local government units, the Judiciary, and teaching and uniformed personnel.
Also approved was SBN 2805, or the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) Act, which expands the agency’s mandate to regulate on-demand streaming platforms.
Sponsored by Sen. Robinhood Padilla, the bill seeks to ensure that content on digital platforms adheres to Filipino standards of decency and morality, especially to protect minors.
“The MTRCB’s charter was enacted in 1985, long before the streaming era. This bill updates its mandate to reflect the realities of digital media,” Padilla said in a news release.
Another approved measure, SBN 2965 or the Free Funeral Services Act, provides an “indigent funeral package” to poor families in crisis, including those affected by calamities or disasters.
Authored by Sen. Imee Marcos, the bill seeks to provide dignified burial assistance to those who cannot afford basic funeral services.
The Senate also passed SBN 2974, or the Expanded Philippine Science High School (PSHS) System Act, which allows for up to two PSHC campuses per region, except for Metro Manila.
Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, who sponsored the bill, said it would address the growing number of qualified but unadmitted PSHS applicants due to limited slots. “Since 2022, PSHS has turned away over 5,800 qualified students simply because of a lack of space. This bill will democratize science education access,” Zubiri said.
Also approved was SBN 2960, or the Lifelong Learning Development Framework (LLDF) Act, authored by Senator Joel Villanueva.
The measure institutionalizes a national framework for continuous learning and upskilling for all Filipinos, with a focus on micro-credentials, transferable skills, and alternative learning certifications.
“We can no longer rely solely on what we learned in school. We need to learn continuously to meet the demands of modern life,” Villanueva said.
Another bill, SBN 2975, or the Revised Animal Welfare Act, was likewise passed to update existing laws on the treatment and protection of animals, though details of the measure were not immediately available during the session.
