Legislation NewsLegislative TrackerStatements, Position Papers and Press Releases

Status of Business and Economic Reform Legislation (15th CONGRESS)* as of February 2012

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 (RA 10149) – signed June 6, 2011

            3.      Extending the Implementation of the Lifeline Rate (RA 10150) – signed June 20, 2011

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

            5.      Institutionalizing Kindergarten Education (RA 10157) – signed January 20, 2012

 

 

II.           Approved on Third Reading             

 

1.      AMLA Amendment

House: Approved on Third Reading

Senate: Pending Second Reading (Period of interpellation)

 

2.      Career Executive System

House: Approved on Third Reading

Senate: Approved on Third Reading

           3.      Creation of the Department of Information and Communications Technology

House: Approved on Third Reading

Senate: Approved on Third Reading

 

4.      Cybercrime Prevention Act

      House: Pending Second Reading
      Senate: Approved on Third Reading

            5.      Customs Modernization and Tariffs Act

House: Approved on Third Reading

Senate: Pending in Ways and Means Committee

 

6.      Data Privacy Act

House: Approved on Third Reading

Senate: Pending Second Reading (Period of interpellation)

 

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

House: Approved on Third Reading

Senate: Pending in Local Government Committee

            8.      Insurance Code Amendments

House: Approved on Third Reading

Senate: Pending in Banks Committee

 

9.      Rationalization of Fiscal Incentives

House: Approved on Third Reading

Senate: Under Ways and Means Committee deliberation

 

10.  WIPO Copyright Treaty (Intellectual Property Act Amendments)

House: Approved on Third Reading

Senate: Pending Second Reading (Period of interpellation)

 

11.  Lemon Law

House: Approved on Third Reading

Senate: Under Trade and Commerce Committee deliberation

 

12.  Plastic Bag Regulation Act

House: Approved on Third Reading

Senate: Pending in Trade and Commerce Committee

 

13.  Regulating Profession – Environmental Planning       

 House: Approved on Third Reading

 Senate: Pending Second Reading

 

14.    Rural Bank Act Amendments

  House: Approved on Third Reading
  Senate: Pending in Banks Committee

            15.   Sustainable Forest Management

  House: Approved on Third Reading

  Senate: Under Environment TWG deliberation

16.  Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act

 House: Approved on Third Reading

 Senate: Under Banks Committee 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.   Fair Competition Law/ Anti-trust

House: Pending Second Reading (Approval re-considered)

Senate: Pending Second Reading (For sponsorship)        

            4.   LPG Industry Regulation and Safety Act

House:  Pending Second Reading (Approval re-considered)
            Senate: Under Trade and Commerce Committee Deliberation

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

House: Transmitted to Appropriations Committee

Senate: Pending Second Reading (For interpellation)

 

6.    Regulating Profession – Pharmacy       

 House: Draft Committee Report for Filing

 Senate: Pending Second Reading

 

7.   Reproductive Health Bill

House: Pending Second Reading (Interpellation)

Senate: Pending Second Reading (Interpellation)

 

8.   Whistle Blowers Protection Act

House: Pending Second Reading

Senate: Pending Second Reading (Interpellation)

 

 

IV.        Approved at Committee Level

 

      1.   Institutionalizing the National Land Use Policy

House: Transmitted to Appropriations Committee

Senate: Pending Second Reading

 

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: Transmitted to the Appropriations Committee

      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.   Milk Code

      House: Under Health and Trade Committee TWG deliberation

      Senate: Pending in Health Committee

            9.   Regulating Profession – Pharmacy

House: Draft Committee Report for Civil Service Committee approval

Senate: Under Civil Service TWG deliberation

 

10. Water Sector Reform

House: Under Government Reorganization TWG deliberation

Senate: Under Public Services Sub-committee on Water 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

  

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: Approved on Second Reading

          Senate: No bill filed

 

 

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

 

————————–

Legend:

Bold – Arangkada recommendation (JFC/PBGs)

Bold and italics – other Arangkada recommendation

Gray Highlight – LEDAC priority measures

*Updated as of February 29, 2012. 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.

 

Download Legislative Priorities – Status as of February 2012 in PDF

Download the February 2012 Legislative Tracker in PDF

 

Related Links:

Legislative Priorities – Status as of January 2012
Legislative Priorities – Status as of December 2011
Legislative Priorities – Status as of October 2011
Legislative Priorities – Status as of September 2011
 

Comment here