Congress Update: 23 more priority measures bared - The Philippine Star » News » Headlines

23 more priority measures bared - The Philippine Star » News » Headlines: Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. bared an additional list of 23 priority measures for the House of Representatives during its second regular session that opens on Monday. He said the measures would cover the areas of good governance, agriculture, human rights, cultural communities, land administration and ecology, education and anti-terror policies.

"Of the 23 LEDAC measures, four bills and one joint resolution were already signed into law by the President. Of the 84 original House priorities, 15 have been approved on third reading and are now awaiting Senate action.

The additional priorities include the Terrorist Financing Suppression Act of 2010; amendments to the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002; reorganizing the Philippine Statistical System; strengthening the Animal Industry and Veterinary Quarantine Services and providing for the modernization of the state weather bureau."

Other priority measures include the elimination of Gender Bias on Adultery and Concubinage Act; providing for a Maritime Code of the Philippines; amending Republic Act 7877, or the “Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995; amending the Women’s Higher Education Act; providing for a nationwide Scholarship Program for Indigenous Peoples; expanding the coverage of the Science and Technology Scholarship Program; extending the charter of the Land Bank of the Philippines; Land Management Bureau Survey of Cadastral Lots in the entire Country; providing for the delineation of the specific forest limits of public domain; banning asbestos and asbestos-containing products; establishing number portability for mobile telephone service; regulating the placement of billboards; Telecommunications Accessibility Act; Anti-Prostitution Act 2011; prohibiting the use of the words “Muslim” and “Christian” in mass media; debts-for-MDGs swap; creating a Center for Studies on Indigenous Cultural Communities; and FilipinoVolunteerism in National-Building Act.

From the original LEDAC/President’s honor list, the following, among others, have been approved by the committees to which they were referred, including establishing the archipelagic sea lanes, prescribing rights of foreign ships; providing a definite targeting strategy in identifying the poor by amending RA 7875; providing mandatory healthcare coverage; amending the Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Act; the Whistle Blowers Protection Act; and the National Land Use and Management Act of the Philippines.

The creation of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the measure instituting a Land Administration Reform Act are both pending with the Committee on Appropriations for its comments on their respective funding provisions.