Nograles promises business groups 'best efforts' in passage of vital bills

MANILA, Philippines - Speaker Prospero Nograles promised best efforts yesterday to the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce of the Philippines and local business groups which have urged Congress to pass certain economic bills.

“We will try out best to finish them before the year ends. I will take the foreign chambers’ advice to the proper committees,” he said.

He acknowledged that the schedule of sessions of the Senate and the House of Representatives is now so tight that it might prevent them from considering measures other than the proposed P1.541-trillion 2010 national budget and some urgent bills.

“I am not sure if we will have the time for other measures,” he said.

Nograles pointed out that the national budget is the most important economic legislation that Congress enacts every year.

The House appropriations committee chaired by Quirino Rep. Junie Cua is set to wrap up its hearings on the 2010 budget next week.

The chamber will then proceed to tackle the proposed spending bill in plenary session. It hopes to approve it on second reading before the first break in session in mid-October.

Between October and January 2010, Congress will have four adjournments of about two weeks each. This means that it will be in session for roughly three months or less before adjourning for the four-month election period on the first week of February.

Aside from the budget, many congressmen consider the bill of Nueva Ecija Rep. Edno Joson, which seeks to expand the line of succession to the presidency, as urgent.

The measure aims to avoid a power vacuum in case there is a general or partial failure of elections in May next year. President Arroyo’s term expires on June 30, 2010, the date when Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile is also finishing his tenure.

The Joson bill expands the line of succession to include the 12 senators whose term of office ends in 2010 and Supreme Court justices.

Under the Constitution, the vice president, Senate president and Speaker of the House, in that order, assume the presidency temporarily in case of vacancy.

In appealing to Congress to attend to economic legislation, the business groups said the approval of economic bills is needed “for a more rapid recovery of the Philippines from the global economic crisis, future growth and improvement of national competitiveness.”

Among the measures they urged the House to pass include amendments to the charter of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Anti-Smuggling Bill, which are pending with the ways and means committee, and the Land Use Bill, which is awaiting endorsement by the land use committee.

They said President Arroyo endorsed the approval of the bill strengthening the BSP in her State of the Nation Address before a joint session of the Senate and the House last July 27.

They added that they look forward to the enactment of the proposed Pre-Need Code and the Real Estate Investment Trust Bill, which are pending in bicameral conference committees.

Among the local business groups that joined the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce of the Philippines in calling for the enactment of economic legislation are the Makati Business Club, Bankers Association of the Philippines, Employers Confederation of the Philippines, and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.