Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The Senate is set to pass at least 34 new measures when it resumes on Monday (January 18).
This is according to Senate President Franklin M. Drilon who said that the first session for the year will be made with huge strides in the remaining legislative targets of the 16th Congress.
The Congress will end in July 2016.
Drilon said, “We intend to make good on our promise to the Filipino people on the start of the 16th Congress that we will help the poor, widen the delivery of education and other social services and improve the economy.”
Among the bills to be approved is the Salary Standardization Law IV (SSL IV), also known as Senate Bill No. 2671, which will give higher pay for all government employees.
Drilon said SSL IV will make compensation competitive with the pay from the private sector.
Other laws to be passed include the Customs and Tarriff Modernization Act, Foreign Ownership Restrictions Act, Comprehensive Tuberculosis Act, and the Expanded Maternity Leave of 2015.
Drilon added that no time will be wasted in working on the passage of remaining priority bills like the Bangsamoro Basic Law and the Public-Private Partnership Act.
Meanwhile, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers – Philippines said that thousands of public school teachers would hold a protest action at the Senate on Monday when the plenary resumes.
This is to show their dismay at receiving a minimal salary adjustment while government directors and executives, including the president, will see a salary adjustment of 77 percent to more than 200 percent.
