Senate President Vicente Sotto III confirmed on Wednesday that there were at least 197 Congress-approved bills already “signed into laws” by Malacañang under the Duterte administration during the 18th Congress.
The senator also said that apart from the new laws, “there was one veto, but right now pending in the Office of the President are 182 bills passed by both houses of Congress.”
“’Yung mga adopted resolutions concurring in the ratification of treaties and international agreements, conventions, there were three, including the Convention of Temporary Admission, Accession to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness and the ratification of the Arms Trade Treaty,’” the Senate leader said.
Sotto III added there were 45 simple resolutions and 11 concurrent resolutions, noting that on the bills signed into law “I think you’re very well versed on the very important ones with national impact. Hindi ko sinama sa listahan ’yung mga local bills.”
He clarified though that “we are talking of the bills only of national importance and those pending approval of the Office of the President” adding they are hoping that the President himself can approve it earlier or they can opt to let it lapse into law, adding “that is also okay.”
Still, the Senate leader reminded that “there are very urgent matters there” listing, such as the Separate Facility for Heinous Crimes Inmates Act, noting that “if ever it’s not signed into
law, I hope it will lapse into law or the next President might act on it, recalling it was one of the issues that I discussed with President-elect Marcos Jr. So hopefully, it will be signed.”
The Senate leader’s office also listed some the 182 Congress-approved bills still pending in Malacañang, including the National Transportation Board, Special Protection Against Online Sexual Abuse, and the Vaporized Nicotine Products, the Expanded Anti-trafficking Act, the Permanent Validity of Live Birth, Death, and Marriage Act, the Strengthening of the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel and the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Rural Development Financing Enhancement Act.
“Also pending is the bill Increasing the Social Pension of Indigent Senior Citizens,” he said. “More or less ganoon. ’Yung mga napasa na including the Creation of the Judiciary Marshals Act.
Image credits: Albert Calvelo/ Senate PRIB