MALACAÑANG and Congress officials have firmed up a list of 10 priority bills, including the tax-reform measure, to be fast-tracked for approval when lawmakers resume regular sessions on May 2, after a six-week recess.
Apart from the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program, which provides downward adjustments in personal income- and corporate income-tax rates, the Legislative-Executive priority list includes bills on condonation of land amortization and arrears on interest payment, revised base pay schedule of military and uniformed personnel, pension reform for uniformed personnel and the security of tenure bill.
In addition, Senate and House officials also agreed to speed up passsage of “common priority bills of Malacañang and Congress: on utilization of the coconut-levy fund, Occupational Safety and Health Hazards Compliance Act, National Mental Health Act, Unified National Identification System Act and the National Transport Act intended to address the transport-traffic crisis.
At least four of the 10 agreed priority bills were reported to be “in the advanced stage of the Legislative process”, which means these are now ready for plenary consideration when sessions resume on May 2, including the coco-levy fund utilization, the National Transport Act, Occupational Safety and Health Hazards Compliance Act and the National Mental Health Act.