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Committee Daily Bulletin CCoommmmiitttteeee DDaaiillyy BBuulllleettiinn 17th Congress A publication of the Committee Affairs Department Vol. III No. 71 Third Regular Session January 22, 2019 BICAMERAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE MEETING MEASURES COMMITTEE PRINCIPAL SUBJECT MATTER ACTION TAKEN/ DISCUSSION NO. AUTHOR Bicameral HB 8715 & Rep. Yap (V.) Adopting innovation as vital component of The Bicameral Conference Committee, co- Conference SB 1355 and Sen. the country’s development policies to drive presided by Rep. Dennis Laogan (Party-List, Committee Legarda inclusive development, promote the ANG KABUHAYAN), Chair of the House growth and national competitiveness of Committee on Small Business and micro, small, and medium enterprises, Entrepreneurship Development, and Sen. appropriating funds therefor Sherwin Gatchalian, Chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, approved the harmonized version of HB 8715 and SB 1355. Other conferees present during the bicameral conference committee meeting were the following: On the part of the House, Deputy Speaker Arthur Yap (3rd District, Bohol), Reps. Aniceto "John" Bertiz III (Party-List, ACTS- OFW), Ron Salo, (Party-List, KABAYAN), Peter "Sr. Pedro" Unabia (1st District, Misamis Oriental), Luis Raymund "LRay" Villafuerte Jr. (2nd District, Camarines Sur), and Victor Yap (2nd District, Tarlac); on the part of the Senate, Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III. COMMITTEE MEETINGS MEASURES COMMITTEE PRINCIPAL SUBJECT MATTER ACTION TAKEN/DISCUSSION NO. AUTHOR Energy Substitute Bill Reps. Velasco, Allocating the net national government The Committee, chaired by Marinduque Rep. to HBs 8082, Villafuerte, and share from the Malampaya Natural Gas Lord Allan Jay Velasco, approved the 8327 & 8352 Alejano Project for the payment of the stranded substitute bill subject to style and amendment. debts and stranded contract costs of the National Power Corporation (NPC) and to Rep. Velasco, who also headed the technical finance further exploration, development working group (TWG) that crafted the and exploitation of energy resources to substitute bill, presented the salient features of lower electricity rates the proposed law. According to Rep. Velasco, the measure will ultimately decrease the cost of power especially for households with a monthly average power consumption of 200-KwH and below. Government Substitute Bill Reps. Alvarez, Strengthening the Energy Regulatory The Joint Committee, co-chaired by Rep. Reorganization to HBs 5020, (P.) Commission (ERC) by expanding and Mariano Michael Velarde Jr. (Party-List, jt. w/ Energy 5961 & 7104 Gatchalian, streamlining its bureaucracy, upgrading BUHAY), Chair of the Committee on and Velasco employee skills, augmenting benefits, and Government Reorganization, and Marinduque appropriating funds therefor Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco, Chair of the Continuation… Committee on Energy, approved the substitute Government bill subject to style and amendment. Reorganization Thereafter, the corresponding Committee jt. w/ Energy Report was also approved. Rep. Carlos Roman Uybarreta (Party-List, 1- CARE), co-chair of the technical working group that crafted the substitute bill, presented the salient features of the bill. The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), National Power Corporation (NPC), and Laban Konsyumer Inc. expressed support for the bill. Government Substitute Bill Reps. Creating the Philippine Boxing and The Joint Committee, co-presided by Rep. Reorganization to HBs 6158, Pacquiao, Combat Sports Commission and providing Mariano Michael Velarde Jr. (Party-List, jt. w/ Games 7574 & 8257 Rodriguez, funds therefor BUHAY), Chair of the Committee on and (M.), and Government Reorganization, and Rep. Gus Amusements Pineda Tambunting (2nd District, Parañaque City), Chair of the Committee on Games and Amusements, approved the substitute bill and the corresponding Committee Report. Health Substitute Bill Speaker Establishing the Philippine eHealth system The Committee, chaired by Rep. Angelina to HBs 3310, Macapagal- and services in the delivery of health "Helen" Tan, M.D. (4th District, Quezon), 4630, 5810, Arroyo, Reps. services with the use of information and approved the substitute bill subject to style 7122, 7153 & Nieto, Lanete, communications technology (ICT) in the and amendment. 7426 Belaro, Yap Philippines, and appropriating funds (V.), and therefor Vargas Substitute Bill Reps. Amending RA 10152 or the Mandatory The Committee approved the substitute bill. to HBs 7451, Bagatsing, Tan Infants and Health Immunization Act of 8183 & 8775 (A.) and 2011 Villafuerte HB 8615 Rep. Tan (A.) Strengthening the fight to end The Committee approved HB 8615 subject to tuberculosis, amending for the purpose RA style and amendment. 10767 or the Comprehensive Tuberculosis Elimination Plan Act HBs 701, Reps. Eriguel, Increasing the bed capacity of certain The Committee approved the six bills. 1929, 2121, Uy (J.), Adiong, hospitals in the country, upgrading their 2398, 8199, & Bondoc, services and facilities and professional 8276 Santos-Recto, health care, and appropriating funds and Bordado therefor HB 1576 Rep. Vargas Upgrading the Novaliches District Hospital The Committee approved HB 1576 subject to in Quezon City and appropriating funds amendment. therefor HB 1960 Rep. Suansing Establishing the Central Luzon Trauma The Committee approved HB 1960 subject to (E.) Center in the Municipality of Zaragoza, the submission of the Certificate of Need Province of Nueva Ecija under the full (CON) from the DOH Region III. administrative and technical supervision of the Department of Health (DOH) and appropriating funds therefor HB 2107 Rep. Tejada Providing for the upgrade, modernization The Committee approved HB 2107. and conversion of the Cotabato Provincial Hospital in the Province of North Cotabato into the North Cotabato Regional Hospital under the control, management and supervision of the DOH, and appropriating funds therefor 2 of 9 Continuation… HB 4435 Rep. Nieto Upgrading the Jose R. Reyes Memorial The Committee approved HB 4435 subject to Health Medical Center (JRRMMC) into a DOH amendment. National Center for Trauma, Cancer and Dermatology, and appropriating funds therefor HB 5208 Rep. Sahali Upgrading of facilities and skills of rural The Committee approved HB 5208 subject to health providers in barangay health amendment. stations (BHS), rural health unit (RHU), district and community hospitals to meet the standards of Basic Emergency Obstetric and New Born Care (BEMONC) and Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and New Born Care (CEMONC) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and providing funds therefor HB 8534 Rep. Mercado Integrating the Southern Leyte Provincial The Committee approved HB 8534 subject to Hospital into the Eastern Visayas Regional the submission of documentary requirements Medical Center System (EVRMC) for the transfer of the administration of the health facility owned by the local government units (LGUs) to the DOH. HB 8560 Rep. Ting Increasing the bed capacity of the The Committee approved HB 8560 subject to Cagayan Valley Medical Center (CVMC) in amendment. Tuguegarao City, Province of Cagayan and appropriating funds therefor HB 8641 in Rep. Tan (A.), Providing for an opt-out system of organ The Committee agreed to create a technical consolidation former Rep. donation and transplantation, amending working group (TWG) to deliberate further on with HBs 254, Roque (H.), for the purpose RA 7170, otherwise known the bills. 255, 291, Reps. Abayon, as the Organ Donation Act of 1991, 608, 882, Eriguel, Lopez promoting the right to health, and The TWG will be chaired by Rep. Micaela 1335, 1414, (B.), Lanete, providing penalties therefor Violago (2nd District, Nueva Ecija). 2326, 7396, Salo, 8609 & 8613 Relampagos, Rep. Tan, author of HB 8641, explained that in Nieto, the “opt-out” organ donation system (which is Gatchalian, also called “presumed consent”), everyone is and Alonte considered as an organ donor unless one expressly states otherwise. Representatives from the DOH’s National Transplant Ethics Committee, National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI), and Philippine Society of Nephrology (PSN) expressed their support for the proposed law. DOH’s Philippine Network for Organ Sharing (PhilNOS) Program Manager Dr. Francisco Sarmiento disclosed that the country’s current organ donation rate is very low - one donor for every one million population. He said that enacting the proposed law, coupled with a comprehensive reform in the transplant coordination system, such as extensive information dissemination, skills training, and creation of a donors registry system, is expected to increase the organ donation rate. State Counsel Mary Grace Quintana of the Department of Justice (DOJ) expressed the Department’s reservation on the opt-out system which presumes the consent of a 3 of 9 Continuation… person to donate any of his organs after his Health death. She explained that the measure may transgress freedom of choice and freedom of religion, among other rights. (Under the Organ Donation Act of 1991 or RA 7170, organ donation is voluntary.) Baguio City Rep. Mark Go manifested that the proposed law should be studied further. Overseas Substitute Bill Deputy Establishing the Office for Social Welfare The Committee, chaired by Rep. Jesulito Workers Affairs to HBs 8197 Speaker Attache, amending for the purpose RA Manalo (Party-List, ANGKLA), approved the & 8414 Villarica and 8042, otherwise known as the Migrant Committee Report on the Substitute Bill to Rep. Alejano Workers and Overseas
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