Committee Daily Bulletin
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
CCoommmmiitttteeee DDaaiillyy BBuulllleettiinn Vol. II No. 95 A publication of the Committee Affairs Department March 17, 2015 COMMITTEE MEETINGS MEASURES COMMITTEE PRINCIPAL SUBJECT MATTER ACTION TAKEN/DISCUSSION NO. AUTHOR Good HR 622 Rep. Dela Cruz Inquiry into the anomalies relating to the The Committee, chaired by Rep. Oscar Government and exercise of functions and authority by the Rodriguez (3rd District, Pampanga), Public Land Transportation Franchising and terminated its deliberations on HR 622. The Accountability Regulatory Board (LTFRB), particularly on Secretariat was directed to prepare the draft the granting of special franchises and Committee Report. other considerations to certain bus companies LTFRB Chair Winston Ginez explained that the agency may suspend the operations of a bus company involved in a serious accident for a period of up to 30 days even before the conduct of a hearing on the incident, and may suspend or cancel its Certificate of Public Conveyance (CPC) if there is gross negligence or violation of the terms and conditions of its franchise. On the unauthorized issuance of CPC in Region III, Ginez reported that appropriate charges have been filed in court against several officials and personnel of LTFRB Region III involved. The case against former Regional Director Bruno Patricio, who has retired from the service, will be brought to the Ombudsman for the filing of criminal and civil charges. Ginez added that the hearing for the cancellation of the questionable CPCs issued in Region III is still ongoing. The subject of the ongoing cancellation proceedings includes 112 bus units of Pangasinan Solid North, 50 units of Pangasinan Five Star, 80 units of First Luzon and 14 units of Luzon Cisco Lines. On the labor claims against the Grand Star Coach Bus Co. Inc., raised in the Petition for the Cancellation of CPCs filed by its former employees, Atty. Angelo Cunanan, counsel for Grand Star, said the bus company has paid 115 drivers and conductors in the amount of P4.53 million in settlement. The payment for the remaining 11 unpaid employees, he added, is scheduled for settlement before the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) Regional Arbitration Branch No. IV on March 18, 2015. The Committee Members agreed that aside from the audited financial statements the LTFRB requires from public utility operators prior to the issuance of the annual franchise clearance, the latter should also be required to submit tax clearance and clearances form the Continuation… courts, the police and the Bureau of Customs Good (BOC). Government and Public In view of Ginez’s statement that the LTFRB’s Accountability operations are governed by memoranda and circulars issued by its board, aside from Executive Order 202 issued in 1987 which created the agency, the Committee Members also agreed that all these issuances be codified to formulate a cohesive and a more permanent mandate for the agency. HR 1306 Rep. Oaminal Inquiry into the reported gross and The Committee assumed jurisdiction and gave inordinate anomalies in the conduct of due course to HR 1306. public bidding and implementation of infrastructure projects of the Department Rep. Henry Oaminal (2nd District, Misamis of Health (DOH), most particularly in Occidental), author of HR 1306, was asked to Region X, allegedly perpetuated by the submit to the Committee the list of resource Regional Infrastructure Engineer in persons and documents necessary to proceed conspiracy with other regional officials with the Congressional inquiry. Higher and Substitute Rep. Hernandez Establishing the South Cotabato State The Committee, chaired by Pasig City Rep. Technical Bill to HB College in the Municipality of Surallah, Roman Romulo, approved the substitute bill to Education 4251 South Cotabato, appropriating funds HB 4251. therefor HB 431 Rep. Benitez Converting the Carlos Hilado Memorial The Committee approved HB 431. State College in the City of Talisay, Negros Occidental, into a state university to be known as the Carlos Hilado State University, and appropriating funds therefor HB 1546 Rep. Converting the Cordova Public College in The Committee approved HB 1546. Quisumbing the Municipality of Cordova, Cebu into a state college to be known as the Cordova State College of Science and Technology HB 1944 Rep. Providing the Cebu Normal University- The Committee approved HB 1944. Salimbangon Medellin Campus a budget separate from Cebu Normal University Main Campus, and appropriating funds therefor HB 2450 Rep. Rodriguez Appropriating funds for the construction of The Committee approved HB 2450. (R.) additional classrooms, laboratories and dormitories in the Central Mindanao University HB 2454 Rep. Rodriguez Appropriating funds for the construction of The Committee approved HB 2454. (R.) additional classrooms, laboratories and dormitories in the Misamis Oriental State College of Agriculture and Technology HB 2758 Rep. Castelo Providing for the repair, construction and The Committee approved HB 2758. rehabilitation of existing structures of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines- Quezon City Campus, and appropriating funds therefor HB 3078 Rep. Cosalan Establishing a State Polytechnic College in The Committee approved HB 3078. the Municipality of Kabayan, Benguet, to be known as the Kabayan State Polytechnic College, and appropriating funds therefor 2 Continuation… HB 4745 Rep. Abueg Creating the Palawan State University The Committee approved HB 4745 with Higher and System in Palawan and Puerto Princesa amendments and subject to the compliance of Technical City, amending for the purpose RA 7818 the Palawan State University (PSU) with the Education or the law converting the Palawan State requirements set by the Commission on Higher College into a state university Education (CHED). HBs 1510, Reps. Teodoro, Strengthening the Commission on Higher The Committee agreed to create a technical 3022 & 3307 Piamonte & Education (CHED), amending for the working group (TWG) to consolidate the four Rodriguez (R.) purpose RA 7722, otherwise known as the bills. Higher Education Act of 1994, appropriating funds therefor CHED Chair Patricia Licuanan informed the Committee that the Commission has drafted its HB 5139 Rep. Escudero Rationalizing the distribution of own version of the bills amending RA 7722. government grants, scholarships and similar programs, amending for the Rep. Romulo requested the CHED to submit to purpose RA 7722 the Committee the bill it has drafted and promised to review the same. HB 5493 Rep. Romulo Establishing the Tertiary Education The Committee will deliberate further on HB Transition Fund to develop and sustain 5493 in its next meeting. tertiary education institutions during the transition period of the Enhanced Basic Lawyer Ada Abad, legal counsel for the Education Act of 2013 Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA), supports the establishment of a tertiary education transition fund saying that most higher education institutions (HEIs) now face logistical and financial problems due to the huge cut in the number of their enrollees when the K-12 program is fully implemented in 2016. The HEIs will most likely not be able to pay the retrenchment or separation benefits of the affected teaching and non-teaching personnel, Abad added. Rep. Mariano Piamonte Jr. (Party-List, A TEACHER) recommended that the Committee request the Office of the President to certify as urgent HB 5493. Information and Substitute Rep. Ridon Providing free public wireless internet The Committee, presided by its Vice Chair Communications Bill to HB access in public buildings, terminals, parks Rep. Mariano Michael Velarde Jr. (Party-List, Technology 1550 and plazas throughout the country BUHAY), approved the Substitute Bill to HB 1550 as amended. One of the amendments agreed upon was the deletion of Section 6 (Appropriations), to be replaced with the following provision: “Sec. 6. Non-Collection of Data – The government shall respect the privacy of citizens who use the public broadband hotspots. In no case shall the administration or management of said public broadband hotspots engage in the collection, use, or disclosure of user data, including the collection of anonymous traffic data, in accordance with existing laws.” Substitute Rep. Abaya Promoting consumer protection on the The Committee approved the Substitute Bill to Bill to HB purchase of mobile communications HB 5027 subject to style. 5027 devices by allowing consumers to unlock the mobile wireless devices prior to the expiration of the lock-in period under the contract 3 Revision of HBs 2352, Reps. Lagman, Amending/repealing Arts. 333, 334 and The Committee, presided by its Vice Chair Laws 2390, 3639, Garcia (G.), 344 of Act No. 3815, otherwise known as Rep. Leni Gerona-Robredo (3rd District, 4033 & 4377 Gutierrez, the Revised Penal Code (RPC) Camarines Sur), agreed to create a technical Deputy Speaker working group (TWG) to consolidate the five Abad & Rep. De bills. Jesus Rep. Gerona-Robredo explained that HBs 2352, 2390 and 4033 seek for the equal treatment of men and women in the prosecution of the crime of adultery (or marital infidelity) and concubinage, while HBs 3639 and 4377 seek to decriminalize adultery and concubinage. The resource persons from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) reported to the Committee the number of cases prosecuted and appealed in relation to violations of Articles 333 and 334 of the Revised Penal Code (Act No. 3815). The Supreme Court,