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Congress accomplishments


  • Of the 2,409 bills filed by the Senate and 4,783 bills filed by the House, 10 new measures were passed by both Houses. Nine have been signed into law by the President; one is pending action.
     
  • Out of the 2,409 bills filed in the Senate -- 2,141 or 89 percent are pending in the committees for public hearing/committee report preparation. Meaning, these bills are not even halfway through the process.
     
  • Of the 197 local bills approved on third reading in the House, 139 involved establishing national high schools, 11 are about cityhood/creation of barangays/legislative districts. 

BILLS ENACTED INTO LAW
First Regular Session, 14th Congress

RA Short Title Enacted
RA 9504 Tax Relief for Minimum Wage Earners Act June 17, 2008
RA 9503 The Court of Tax Appeals Law June 12, 2008
RA 9502 Universally Accessible

Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008

June 9, 2008
RA 9501 Magna Carta for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises May 23, 2008
RA 9500 University of the Philippines Charter of 2008 April 29, 2008
RA 9499 Filipino World War II Veterans Pensions and Benefits Act April 9, 2008
RA 9498 FY 2008 General Appropriations Act March 11, 2008
RA 9497 Civil Aviation Authority Act of 2008 March 4, 2008
RA 9496 Extending the Utilization Period of the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund February 28, 2008
  •  The number of bills enacted into law has been declining steadily since the 8th Congress
     
  • Most of the laws passed are of local application, which may indicate that lawmakers are preoccupied with parochial concerns for votes.
     
  • The national budget - the primary legislation emanating from Congress -- was reenacted three times since Arroyo assumed the presidency.
     
  • Since 1986, the 9th and 10th Congress during Ramos's time passed the most number of laws.
  NUMBER OF BILLS
ENACTED INTO LAW
PRESIDENT
8th Congress (1987-1992) 975 Corazon Aquino
9th Congress (1992-1995) 536 Fidel Ramos
10th Congress (1995-1998) 573 Fidel Ramos
11th Congress (1998-2001) 415 Joseph Estrada
12th Congress (2001-2004 172 Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
13th Congress (2004-2007) 162 Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
14th Congress
(1st Regular Session, 2007-2008)
9 Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Sources: House of Representatives website, Senate website, interviews with House and Senate Bills and Index staff
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