9 of 17 ‘urgent’ bills passed into law

MANILA, Philippines — Nine of the 17 bills certified as urgent by President Duterte have become law under the 17th Congress.

Three of the measures were signed into law this year, data from the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office showed.

Enacted this year were the rice tariffication law that liberalized rice importation to ensure adequate supply; universal health care law that expanded the benefits of Philippine Health Insurance Corp. members; and this year’s P3.662-trillion national budget, which passage was delayed by bickering among House and Senate leaders.

Other urgent bills that have been signed into law were the Bangsamoro Organic Law, the joint resolution authorizing the increase in the base pay of military and uniformed personnel, 2018 budget, the first package of Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion, the bill postponing the 2017 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections and the 2017 budget.

Days before the 17th Congress adjourned, Duterte certified as urgent four bills: amendments to the Public Service Act, Foreign Investments Act, Retail Trade Liberalization Act and the revival of the mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program.

Congress adjourned last June 7 without passing the measures.

Other urgent bills bypassed during the 17th Congress were the Budget Reform Act, P1.161-billion supplemental budget, bill strengthening workers’ right to security of tenure and the bill raising excise tax on tobacco products.