Veto of key bills a ‘blessing in disguise’

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino’s move to veto several key measures could be a blessing in disguise as the rejected bills could be “perfected,” leaders of the House of Representatives said yesterday.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. reiterated the need for closer coordination between the legislative and executive even as he advised Cabinet officials to attend congressional hearings on pending bills instead of sending their assistants.

“If the bills are important, come here yourself. Don’t send underlings, and if you adopted a particular position here, when you get to Malacañang, defend that position, and do not just try to gauge the feelings of the President and adjust your position accordingly,” he said.

Belmonte said he believes Malacañang did not disagree with the objectives of the vetoed bills but was only concerned about the source of funding.

The President recently vetoed the proposed Magna Carta for the Poor, Centenarian Act, Rights of Internally Displaced Persons Act and removing the height limit for policemen, firemen and jail guards, and scores of local bills.

“I regret that a lot of bills were vetoed, but in the context of it, a lot of them were local bills… sometimes perhaps in our enthusiasm to serve our constituents, we insist that we pass those bills,” he said.

Deputy Majority Leader Janet Garin said a good bill that has been vetoed “can be corrected” in a few months.

Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II stressed the need to avoid a repeat of successive presidential vetoes, saying it is  “painful,” especially for the authors. – With Christina Mendez