Legislation NewsStatements, Position Papers and Press Releases

Status of Business and Economic Reform Legislation (15th CONGRESS)* as of December 14, 2011

STATUS OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC REFORM LEGISLATION

(15th CONGRESS)*

 

I.             Enacted into Law                     

 

1.      Financial Rehabilitation and Insolvency Act (RA 10142) – lapsed into law July 18, 2010

 

2.      GOCC Governance Act (Republic Act 10149) – signed June 6, 2011

 

3.      Repeal of Nightwork Prohibition for Women (RA 10151) – signed  June 21, 2011

 

 

II.           Approved on Third Reading             

 

1.      AMLA Amendment

House: Approved on Third Reading

Senate: Pending Second Reading (Period of interpellation)

 

2.      Creation of the Department of Information and Communications Technology

House: Approved on Third Reading

Senate: Pending Second Reading (Period of interpellation)

 

3.      Customs Modernization and Tariffs Act

House: Approved on Third Reading

Senate: Pending in Ways and Means Committee

 

4.      Data Privacy Act

House: Approved on Third Reading

Senate: Pending Second Reading (Period of interpellation)

 

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Legend:

Bold – Arangkada recommendation (JFC/PBGs)

Bold and italics – other Arangkada recommendation

Gray Highlight – LEDAC priority measures

*Updated as of December 14, 2011. This list of legislation is a consolidation of important bills of interest to the business community, most of which are currently being considered in the 15th Congress. The compilation of this list in no way implies that all foreign chambers and business groups have approved every measure or even studied all of them. However, Arangkada contains a list of 41 measures that the Joint Foreign Chambers and seven Philippine business groups sent to President Aquino, House Speaker Belmonte, and Senate President Enrile in October 2011. In the case of this letter, there was agreement among the 14 groups to support the 41 measures except for the Agri-Agra amendments.

 

5.      Direct Remittance to LGUs of their 40% share from National Wealth Taxes

House: Approved on Third Reading

Senate: Pending in Local Government Committee

 

6.      Insurance Code Amendments

House: Approved on Third Reading

Senate: Pending in Banks Committee

 

7.      Rationalization of Fiscal Incentives

House: Approved on Third Reading

Senate: Under Ways and Means Committee deliberation

 

8.      WIPO Copyright Treaty (Intellectual Property Act Amendments)

House: Approved on Third Reading

Senate: Pending Second Reading (Period of interpellation)

 

9.      Lemon Law

House: Approved on Third Reading

Senate: Under Trade and Commerce Committee deliberation

 

10.  Plastic Bag Regulation Act

House: Approved on Third Reading

Senate: Pending in Trade and Commerce Committee

 

11.   Regulating Profession – Environmental Planning       

 House: Approved on Third Reading

 Senate: Draft Committee Report for approval of Civil Service Committee

 

12.    Rural Bank Act Amendments

  House: Approved on Third Reading

        Senate: No bill filed

 

13.  Sustainable Forest Management

 House: Approved on Third Reading

 Senate: Under Environment TWG deliberation

 

 

III.        Pending Second Reading                  

 

1.   BSP Charter Amendments

House: Pending Second Reading

Senate: Pending in Banks Committee

 

2.   Creative Industries

House: No bill filed

       Senate: Pending Second Reading (Period of interpellation)

 

3.    Cybercrime Prevention Act

 House: Committee Report for Filing

 Senate: Pending Second Reading (Period of amendments)

 

4.   Fair Competition Law/ Anti-trust

House: Pending Second Reading (Approval re-considered)

Senate: Committee Report for Filing      

 

5.      LPG Industry Regulation and Safety Act

House:  Pending Second Reading (Approval re-considered)

                  Senate: Under Trade and Commerce Committee Deliberation

             6.   Mandatory Healthcare Coverage (Providing Definite Strategy for                                                                    Targeting the Poor)

House: Transmitted to Appropriations Committee

Senate: Pending Second Reading (For interpellation)

 

7.   Reproductive Health Bill

House: Pending Second Reading (Interpellation)

Senate: Pending Second Reading (Interpellation)

 

8.   Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act

House: Pending Second Reading (Interpellation)

Senate: Under Banks Committee deliberation

 

9.   Whistle Blowers Protection Act

House: Committee Report for filing

Senate: Pending Second Reading (Interpellation)

 

 

IV.        Approved at Committee Level

 

      1.   Institutionalizing the National Land Use Policy

House: Transmitted to the Appropriations Committee

Senate: Pending in Environment and Natural Resources Committee

 

2.   Land Administration and Reform Act

House: Transmitted to the Appropriations Committee

Senate: Pending in Environment and Natural Resources Committee

 

 

V.          Under TWG Deliberation

           

1.      AFP Modernization

House: Draft Substitute bill for Defense Committee Approval

Senate: Under National Defense Committee deliberation

 

2.      Anti-smuggling

       House: Under Ways and Means TWG deliberation

       Senate: Pending in Ways and Means Committee

 

3.      Build-Operate-Transfer Law Amendments

 House: Under Public Works TWG deliberation

 Senate: Pending in Public Works Committee

 

4.        CIQ Amendment

      House: Under Justice TWG deliberation

      Senate: Under Justice TWG deliberation

 

5.      Farm Land as Collateral

 House: Under Agrarian Reform TWG deliberation

 Senate: Pending in Agrarian Reform Committee

 

6.      NFA Reorganization

 House: Under Government Enterprises TWG deliberation

 Senate: Pending in Government Corporations Committee

 

7.      Government Procurement Act Amendments

 House: Under Appropriations TWG deliberation

 Senate: Pending in Constitutional Amendments, Revision of Code and  

 Laws Committee

 

 8.  Regulating Profession – Pharmacy

House: Pending in Civil Service Committee

Senate: Under Civil Service TWG deliberation

 

 

VI.  Under Committee Deliberation

 

       1.  Constitutional Amendments on Economic Provisions

House: Under Constitutional Amendments Committee deliberation

Senate: No bill/resolution filed

 

 2.   Enhancing the Curriculum of Basic Education (12 year)

 House: Under Basic Education Committee deliberation

 Senate: Pending in the Education Committee

 

 3.  Freedom of Access to Information

House: Under Public Information TWG deliberation

Senate: Under Public Information Committee deliberation

 

 4.   Fiscal Responsibility

 House: Pending in Appropriations Committee

 Senate: Under Finance Committee deliberation

 

5.   Water Sector Reform

House: Under Government Reorganization Committee deliberation

Senate: Under Public Services Sub-committee on Water deliberation

 

 

BILLS REQUIRING SUBSTANTIAL RECONSIDERATION

 

1.      Corporate Social Responsibility

       House: Approved on Third Reading

       Senate: Pending Second Reading (For interpellation)

 

2.      Security of Tenure

       House: Pending Second Reading

       Senate: Draft Committee Report pending Labor Committee approval

 

3.      Value Added Simplified Tax

       House: Pending Second Reading

       Senate: No bill filed

 

4.      Bills Declaring Non-working Holidays

 

a.   Chinese Holiday

            House: Pending Second Reading

            Senate: Pending in Education, Arts and Culture Committee

 

b.   Iglesia ni Kristo Day

     House: Pending in Revision of Laws Committee

             Senate: Pending in Education, Arts and Culture Committee

 

c.    Declaring National Victory and Liberation Day

     House: Approved on Third Reading

            Senate: No bill filed

 

d.   National Teachers’ Day

     House: Approved on Third Reading (working holiday)

             Senate: Pending Second Reading (Period of interpellation)

 

e.   Declaring National Women’s day as a non-working holiday

           House: Pending Second Reading

           Senate: No bill filed

 

5.      Milk Code

       House: For Health and Trade Committee deliberation

       Senate: Pending in Health Committee

 

OTHER PRIORITY LEGISLATION

 

1.         Foreign Investments Act Amendments

                        House: No bill filed

                        Senate: Pending in Trade and Commerce Committee

 

2.         Retail Trade Act Amendments

            House: No bill filed

                        Senate: Resolution Under Trade Committee Deliberation

 

3.         Clean Air Act Amendment

                        House: Under Ecology TWG deliberation

                        Senate:  No bill filed

 

4.         Senior Citizens Act Amendment

       House: Pending in Population Committee

       Senate: Pending in Social Justice Committee

 

5.         Rice and Corn Trade Amendment

       House: No bill filed

       Senate:  No bill filed

 

6.         Financial Sector Tax Neutrality Act

       House: No bill filed

       Senate:  No bill filed

 

7.        Holiday Rationalization

                   House: Pending in Revision of Laws Committee

                   Senate: No bill filed

 

Download Legislative Priorities – Status as of Dec 2011 in PDF

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