THE Philippine Senate spent much of 2021 passing a slew of liberalization reforms pushed by the Executive, but its record in public consciousness was more associated with the riveting inquiries in aid of legislation that it conducted.
Top of mind is the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s marathon investigation into the misuse of P42 billion in pandemic response fund, particularly the role of top supplier Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. in cornering a chunk of the contracts despite being a start-up corporation with paid-up capital of only P625,000.
Up until just before Christmas, the Blue Ribbon panel was conducting hearings in order to provide the nation a full picture of the Pharmally mess which seemed to snare President Duterte himself because of the undue influence that Pharmally appeared to wield.
Chaired by Senator Richard Gordon, Blue Ribbon probers grilled in several hearings Duterte’s former economic adviser Michael Yang, a controversial Davao businessman and major donor to his 2016 presidential campaign.
In several hearings, Senate probers tried to make Yang admit he is the key funder of Pharmally—which could not have shelled out billions needed to procure the supplies it delivered to the government, mostly face masks and shields.
Yang, however, insisted he gave them no funds and only introduced them to Chinese suppliers. His claim was contradicted by an admission by Pharmally executive Huang Tzu Yen that Yang had at some point lent money to the company, through the firm’s director Linconn Ong, a former translator.
Blue Ribbon chairman Gordon’s quizzing of Yang so incensed President Duterte that he devoted several of his weekly public addresses from the Palace to lambasting the senator, calling him a hypocrite, crook and a cheap politician out to use the Blue Ribbon to project himself for his reelection bid.
Gordon, however, was undaunted and said the Senate investigation, which has landed three Pharmally executives in detention for contempt, will continue into the new year.
An initial committee report that Gordon circulated has obtained several members’ signatures, paving the way for its submission for plenary consideration of its findings that may require remedial legislation.
Liberalization bills
WHEN not conducting hearings on raging public issues, senators were deliberating on key reform measures that the Executive deemed crucial to economic recovery from the record recession caused by the pandemic.
Topping the reforms is the trio of amendatory bills meant to liberalize an economy seen as shackled by a constitutional restriction on foreign equity ownership. These bills are: an amendment to the over 80-year-old Public Service Act, the amendments to the Retail Trade Liberalization Act of 1991 and the Foreign Investment Act. The Senate passed all three in the last quarter.
Undaunted by the crippling Covid pandemic, senators stayed committed to deliver on their legislative tasks, now more vital to promote the well-being of the Filipinos amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, while the ongoing pandemic has yet to have a clear end in sight, there are a lot of reasons to remain hopeful.
Sotto said the Senate made sure, through various legislation, that the economy would bounce back to its prepandemic status.
“With the easing lockdown, we expect our economy to improve further in the last quarter of the year,” the Senate leader said, noting: “This indicates that economic activities have started to pick up.”
Sotto pointed to “the aggressive vaccination rollout drive and the willingness of our people to get vaccinated” as key factors on the road to recovery. “With more of us being vaccinated and receiving booster shots, we know that our situation is likely to improve in the days to come,” Sotto said.
The upper chamber adjourned its session on December 16, 2021, to go on a month-long Christmas break, to resume session on January 17, 2022.
2022 budget
Sotto said the Senate’s accomplishments for the year included the approval of the P5.024-trillion national budget for 2022, which the chamber ratified and adopted before it went on a break.
He said frontline agencies, namely, the Department of Education (DepEd), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the Department of Health (DOH), received the top budget allocations.
“Overall, Congress prioritized health budget to ease the limitations brought about by the lockdown and this will consequently redound to the opening of the economy,” he added.
The Department of Health (DOH), though a focus of the Blue Ribbon investigation for its questioned act of transferring P42 billion of its pandemic funds in 2020 to a controversial Procurement Service of the Budget department, was also granted assistance through Republic Act 11525. The law provides for a procurement process for the vaccine and its administration.
“Your Senate also filed bills that shall assist farmers and create jobs. Senate Bill No. (SBN) 1927 or Cash Assistance for Filipino Farmers Act of 2020 has been passed by both Houses. In addition, Senate Bill 1590 or Trabaho sa Oras ng Pandemya Act is now pending in the committee. This bill shall create jobs for skilled and unskilled workers in government offices or any government projects in infrastructure, flood control, historic sites, and others,” Sotto added.
Department of Migrant Workers
The Senate leader also highlighted the approval on final reading of the Department of Migrant Workers Act which, he believed, was a well-deserved Christmas gift for overseas Filipino workers who are considered the nation’s modern-day and economic heroes.
Before it went on a break, the Senate also approved on final reading SBN 2395 or the SIM Card Registration Act which sought to eradicate criminal activities aided by mobile phone, Internet or other electronic communication devices; SBN 1411 or the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Bill aimed at providing further protection to solo parents; and SBN 2239 or the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act which sought to regulate the importation, manufacture, sale, packaging, distribution, use and consumption of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.
Nine bills were already enacted into law during the first half of the Third Regular Session of the 18th Congress, namely, Republic Act (RA) 11572 (Philippine Energy Research and Policy Institute), RA 11573 (Confirmation of Imperfect Titles), RA 11576 (Judiciary Reorganization), RA 11589 (Bureau of Fire Protection Modernization Act of 2020), RA 11590 (Taxing Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations), RA 11591 SBN-2408 2022 (Fixing the Last Day of Registration of Voters for the 2022 National and Local Elections), RA 11592 (Liquefied Petroleum Gas Act), RA 11593 (Resetting the First Regular Elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) and RA 11594 (Amending the Revised Penal Code).
Sotto thanked the people for being with the Senate “throughout its little and big steps, whether in paths rough or smooth or those unpaved.”
Sotto, who is running for vice president in the May 2022 polls alongside Sen. Panfilo Lacson under the Partido Reporma, made a heartfelt expression of gratitude to Filipinos on the eve of a new year. “To all our countrymen, whatever their religion, wherever they are in the world, thank you for listening and trusting the Senate. The pandemic may still seem far from over but rest assured that your Senate is unceasing in doing its share in finding hope amid this pandemic.”
