Status of Business and Economic Reform Legislation (15th CONGRESS)* as of March 2012

III.     Approved on Second Reading

1.   Common Carriers Tax/ Gross Philippine Billings Tax Abolition
      House: Approved on Second Reading

      Senate: Under Ways and Means Committee Deliberation

            2.   Mandatory Healthcare Coverage (Providing Definite Strategy for Targeting the Poor)

House: Approved on Second Reading

Senate: Pending Second Reading (For interpellation)

3.   Real Property Valuation

      House: Approved on Second Reading

      Senate: Pending in Ways and Means Committee

IV.     Pending Second Reading                     

1.   BSP Charter Amendments

House: Pending Second Reading (Re-committed to Ways and Means Committee)

Senate: Under Banks Committee Deliberation

 
      2.   Creative Industries

House: Pending in Government Reorganization Committee

      Senate: Pending Second Reading (Period of interpellation)

3.   Fair Competition Law/ Anti-trust

House: Pending Second Reading (Approval re-considered)

Senate: Pending Second Reading (For sponsorship)        

            4.   LPG Industry Regulation and Safety Act

House:  Pending Second Reading (Approval re-considered)
            Senate: Under Trade and Commerce Committee Deliberation

5.    Regulating Profession – Pharmacy       

 House:  Draft Committee Report for Filing

 Senate: Pending Second Reading

6.   Reproductive Health Bill

House: Pending Second Reading (Interpellation)

Senate: Pending Second Reading (Interpellation)

V.          Approved at Committee Level

            1.       AFP Modernization

House: Transmitted to the Appropriations Committee

Senate: Under National Defense Committee deliberation

2.    Institutionalizing the National Land Use Policy

House: Transmitted to the Appropriations Committee

Senate: Pending Second Reading

3.   Land Administration and Reform Act

House: Transmitted to the Appropriations Committee

Senate: Pending in Environment and Natural Resources Committee

VI.        Under TWG Deliberation

           1.        Anti-smuggling

       House: Under Ways and Means TWG deliberation

       Senate: Pending in Ways and Means Committee

2.      Build-Operate-Transfer Law Amendments

House: Under Public Works TWG deliberation

Senate: Pending in Public Works Committee

           3.        CIQ Amendment

     House: Under Justice TWG deliberation

     Senate: Under Justice TWG deliberation

4.      Farm Land as Collateral

House: Under Agrarian Reform TWG deliberation

Senate: Pending in Agrarian Reform Committee

            5.       NFA Reorganization

House: Under Government Enterprises TWG deliberation

Senate: Pending in Government Corporations Committee

6.      Government Procurement Act Amendments

House: Under Appropriations TWG deliberation

Senate: Pending in Constitutional Amendments, Revision of Code and  

Laws Committee

            8.   Milk Code

      House: Under Health and Trade Committee TWG deliberation

      Senate: Pending in Health Committee

 
            9.   Water Sector Reform

House: Under Government Reorganization TWG deliberation

Senate: Under Public Services Sub-committee on Water deliberation

VII.           Under Committee Deliberation

       1.  Constitutional Amendments on Economic Provisions

House: Under Constitutional Amendments Committee deliberation

Senate: No bill/resolution filed

            2.   Enhancing the Curriculum of Basic Education (12 year)

House: Under Basic Education Committee deliberation

Senate: Pending in the Education Committee

             3.  Freedom of Access to Information

House: Under Public Information Committee Deliberation

Senate: Under Public Information Committee deliberation

            4.   Fiscal Responsibility

House: Pending in Appropriations Committee

Senate: Under Finance Committee deliberation

BILLS REQUIRING SUBSTANTIAL RECONSIDERATION

1.     Corporate Social Responsibility

       House: Approved on Third Reading

       Senate: Pending Second Reading

2.      Security of Tenure

       House: Pending Second Reading

       Senate: Draft Committee Report pending Labor Committee approval

3.      Value Added Simplified Tax

       House: Pending Second Reading

       Senate: No bill filed

4.      Bills Declaring Non-working Holidays

a.   Chinese Holiday

            House: Pending Second Reading

            Senate: Pending in Education, Arts and Culture Committee

b.   Iglesia ni Kristo Day

     House: Pending in Revision of Laws Committee
     Senate: Pending in Education, Arts and Culture Committee

                    c.    Declaring National Victory and Liberation Day

     House: Approved on Third Reading
     Senate: No bill filed

d.   National Teachers’ Day

     House: Approved on Third Reading (working holiday)
     Senate: Pending Second Reading (Period of interpellation)

e.   Declaring National Women’s day as a non-working holiday

           House: Approved on Third Reading

           Senate: No bill filed

OTHER PRIORITY LEGISLATION

              1.         Foreign Investments Act Amendments
                     House: No bill filed
                     Senate: Pending in Trade and Commerce Committee

             2.         Retail Trade Act Amendments
                     House: No bill filed
                     Senate: Resolution Under Trade Committee Deliberation

             3.         Clean Air Act Amendment
                     House: Under Ecology TWG deliberation
                     Senate:  No bill filed

             4.         Senior Citizens Act Amendment
                    House: Pending in Population Committee
                    Senate: Pending in Social Justice Committee
           
             5.        Rice and Corn Trade Amendment

        House: No bill filed

        Senate:  No bill filed

 6.         Financial Sector Tax Neutrality Act

        House: No bill filed

        Senate:  No bill filed

 7.        Holiday Rationalization
  House: Pending in Revision of Laws Committee
  Senate: No bill filed

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Legend:

Bold – Arangkada recommendation (JFC/PBGs)

Bold and italics – other Arangkada recommendation

Gray Highlight – LEDAC priority measures

Yellow Highlight – changes for the month of March

*Updated as of March 21, 2012. This list of legislation is a consolidation of important bills of interest to the business community, most of which are currently being considered in the 15th Congress. The compilation of this list in no way implies that all foreign chambers and business groups have approved every measure or even studied all of them. However, Arangkada contains a list of 41 measures that the Joint Foreign Chambers and seven Philippine business groups sent to President Aquino, House Speaker Belmonte, and Senate President Enrile in October 2011. In the case of this letter, there was agreement among the 14 groups to support the 41 measures except for the Agri-Agra amendments.

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