MANILA, Philippines — As the 17th Congress adjourned its third regular session on Tuesday, the six-member Senate minority bloc took pride in the passage of a number of landmark measures.
Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon, who leads the Senate Minority, hailed the accomplishments of the opposition bloc despite some challenges it encountered.
Drilon admitted that the 17th Congress was not an easy feat for the opposition.
“It is hard to be in the opposing side these days,” Drilon said in a release.
“We saw our colleague Sen. De Lima detained. All of us in the minority were subjected to criticisms and attacks,” he added.
De Lima, known critic of President Rodrigo Duterte and his administration, has been detained since February 2017 for allegedly protecting and coddling drug traders
“Despite all these, we soldiered on and remained focused on one goal: to get things done for the people,” the minority leader furthered.
The opposition bloc is behind the following landmark laws:
-
Revised Corporation Code – Drilon
-
Free Tuition Act – Sen. Bam Aquino
-
Mental Health Act – Sen. Risa Hontiveros
-
Sagip Saka Act – Sen. Francis Pangilinan
-
Magna Carta of the Poor - Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV
-
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Institutionalization – De Lima
For his part, Drilon did not only pave way for the passage of Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines. He authored two other major laws, including Amendments to the Revised Penal Code, and the Philippine Identification System Act.
Drilon also authored the New Central Bank Act. He is one of the authors of the Department of Housing law.
Aside from these measures, Drilon played a part in ensuring the Bangsamoro Basic Law would be constitutionally compliant.
Drilon also helped propose the solution to the budget deadlock, preventing a reenacted budget.
The opposition leader enumerated the measures accomplished by his allies in the Senate:
Sen. Bam Aquino
Outgoing senator Aquino, who is one of the youngest senators, was the principal sponsor of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (Free College Act).
He is set to leave the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture, which he chairs.
As part of his advocacy which include the youth’s welfare, Aquino was behind the laws: Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act and Balik Scientist Act.
“On the economic front, Aquino wrote and sponsored measures such as the Personal Property Security Act that allows personal properties, and not just land titles, as collateral for bank loans,” Drilon said.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros
Drilon cited that women and children’s rights advocate Hontiveros crafted and defended a number of landmark pieces of legislation like the Universal Health Care Act, 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law and Mental Health Act.
Hontiveros is the chair of the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality and the vice chair of the Committee on Health and Demography.
She recently pushed for the passage of the Safe Streets and Public Spaces Act which seeks to protect everyone, especially women and LGBT, from sexual harassment in the streets, schools and workplaces. She also led the passage of the landmark Anti-Hospital Deposit Law and the Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act.
According to Drilon, Hontiveros also participated in the enactment of the Bangsamoro Basic Law.
Sen. Kiko Pangilinan
Drilon cited that Pangilinan, the Liberal Party president not just principally authored and sponsored the recently enacted Sagip Saka Act or RA 11321 that aims to increase the farmers’ income. He also principally authored the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act and also filed other bills like the anti-political dynasty measure, as well as the coco levy fund measure, among others.
The veteran senator, who was formerly chair of the Senate Committee on Food and Agriculture, pushes the passage of Coco Levy Trust Fund Bill and the strengthening of the Philippine Coconut Authority bill, twin measures eyed to advance the interest of the coconut farmers. These measures were, however, vetoed by the president.
Drilon said Pangilinan, current chair of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes led the hearing on the proposed Charter change.
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV
Meanwhile, Drilon also commended Trillanes who sponsored Magna Carta of the Poor on behalf of De Lima.
Drilon said if not for Trillanes, “there would be no Magna Carta of the Poor that protects and upholds the rights of the poor to adequate food, decent work, education housing and health.”
Trillanes, chair of the Committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation, worked into law the Speech Language Pathology Act, Philippine Occupational Therapy Law of 2018, Philippine Criminology Profession Act of 2018, Philippine Food Technology Act, among others.
The outgoing senator is also co-author of the enacted Philippine Identification System Act, as well as the amendments to the Ombudsman Act and the amendments to the police recruitment and training system law.
Sen. Leila de Lima
Last but not the least, Drilon touted De Lima who despite her detention managed to craft a number of proposed legislation like the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program Act and the Magna Carta of the Poor.
“As former secretary of justice, De Lima has been very active in filing resolutions calling for investigations of alleged corrupt practices and irregularities, particularly in the drug war,” Drilon said.
Drilon said the Senate minority bloc is proud of what it has done.
“We can look people in the eye, critics or otherwise, because we know that we did not fail them,” Drilon said.
“It proves that the opposition has not been a hindrance in the passage of meaningful legislation and policy formulation,” he added.
The opposition bloc leader credits the “healthy working environment” at the Senate for their success.
“What the minority has accomplished is a testament to our desire to serve and prove our worth to the people. At the same time, I would like to think that it is also a manifestation of a healthy working environment in the Senate, which we hope to see in the next Congress,’” Drilon said.
Two of the Senate Minority members, Aquino and Trillanes bowed out of the 17th Congress Tuesday. They will be returning to their private lives come June 30 as the new set of senators who won the 2019 polls are set to assume their posts. — Rosette Adel