House resumes session; barangay poll deferment a priority

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives will prioritize the bills postponing the barangay polls and extending the availability of some portions of the 2019 budget until next year, according to a House leader, as the chamber resumes session today after a month-long break.

“We aim to hit the ground running on the first day of work. Time to roll up our sleeves once again and work double time on vital legislative measures,” House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said, adding they intend to approve the two measures on third and final reading very soon.

The House approved last month Bill 4933 or the measure that seeks to postpone the 2020 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections to Dec. 5, 2022, on second reading through a vote of ayes and nays.

This would bring the third postponement of the barangay and SK polls under the Duterte administration. The passing of the measure was one of Duterte’s orders to Congress during his fourth State of the Nation Address in July.

The House committee on appropriations, meanwhile, approved in September House Joint Resolution Nos. 9 and 10, seeking to extend the availability of the 2019 appropriations for maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) and capital outlays (CO) to Dec. 31, 2020.

It seeks to amend Section 65 of the general provisions of RA 11260 or the General Appropriations Act of Fiscal Year 2019, which provides that all appropriations shall be available for release and obligation until Dec. 31, 2019.

Romualdez said the House also aims to discuss and hasten the approval of a pending joint resolution that authorizes the use of the rice subsidy as provided in this year’s P3.757-trillion national budget for the purchase of palay (unhusked rice) from farmers.

So far, the chamber has already passed 18 measures on third reading since the start of the 18th Congress last July 22, including the P4.1-trillion 2020 national budget, key tax bills, and amendments to the Foreign Investment Act of 1991 led by Valenzuela Rep. Wes Gatchalian.

A key House official has proposed the utilization of the government’s Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act as a way of helping tide farmers over at least while the palay prices are at their lowest.

Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero called on the Departments of Finance and Agriculture to provide farmers a “combination of aid” either in cash or in kind, which is a result of the Rice Tariffication Law.