House OKs Marcos' priority measures

The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved several measures identified by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as priorities as Congress convened a special session.

According to Bea Pinlac’s report in “24 Oras”, 213 congressmen were present during the special session.

House Speak Bodjie Dy, on the other hand, welcomed Senator Sherwin Gatchalian’s installation as the new Senate President.

“The House of Representatives congratulates Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on his formal election as Senate President. This development comes at an important time as both houses of Congress continue to carry out their constitutional responsibilities and act on issues that have a direct impact on the lives of Filipinos,” he said.

Marcos called for a special session to tackle several priority legislative measures. The House has already approved all the eight proposed measures mentioned by the President, including the Anti-Political Dynasty Act.

Meanwhile, the following are still pending at the Senate committee level:

Further, the proposed Anti-Political Dynasty act is pending for second reading at the Senate level. But critics hit the watered-down version of the anti-political dynasty bill, which was passed on third and final reading.

“I am of the opinion and we have seen it… If we make that bill strict; constrictive, mawawala ang suporta ng (it will lose support in the) Lower House,” said House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Sandro Marcos.

““It was really a matter of getting it through already, for the House to pass it, to get the conversation started. This is not the final result of what the bill would be. Hindi po ito batas (This is not yet a law),” he added.

Meanwhile, the Makabayan bloc vowed to closely monitor the Senate's version of the anti-political dynasty bill, as well as the final draft that will reach the President.

“Wala rin tayong illusion. Alam naman natin sa Senado, magkakapatid nga ang nandiyan eh. Now, ‘yung Senate kailangan bantayan natin. Anong gagawin nila? May ipapasa ba silang version? And after that, the bicam,” said ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio.

The Senate also conducted a plenary session in the afternoon to discuss other measures, according to Mark Salazar’s report in “24 Oras.”

Among the measures discussed was the Magna Carta of Barangay Health Workers.

Meanwhile, Senator Bam Aquino took the floor to urge the Committees on Justice and Basic Education to launch an investigation into the recent deaths of two Ateneo de Manila University student athletes.

On the other hand, Senator Erwin Tulfo announced