Just like the House of Representatives, the Senate was able to pass four of the 23 priority bills of the Aquino administration before Congress adjourned session on Wednesday. Out of the 2,871 bills filed at the Senate, the chamber was able to approve at least 14 bills on third and final reading, four of which were among the 23 priority bills presented by President Benigno Aquino III during the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) last February. "We have introduced, deliberated in committee and in plenary, and then approved on third reading amendatory bills that seek to either strengthen or further improve existing laws on labor, health, the environment, family relations, civil service and justice," Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said during his closing remarks on the last day of the chamber's session on Wednesday. Among Aquino's priority measures approved by the Senate was the GOCC Governance Act of 2011, which seeks to create a body that will govern government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs). The GOCC Governance Act of 2011, authored by Sen. Franklin Drilon in the Senate, has been signed into law by the President. Two other priority bills — Drilon's SB 4146 which seeks to postpone the August Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) elections and Sen. Sergio "Serge" Osmeña III's SB 2846 which seeks to extend the lifeline rate — are just awaiting Aquino’s signature for them to become laws. On the other hand, SB 2701, which expands the exceptions from the night work prohibition of women employees, still needs to be ratified by both chambers of Congress. SB 2701 was authored by Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, and Senators Francis Pangilinan, Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., Lito Lapid, and Loren Legarda. Other bills The 10 other bills that have been approved by the Senate on third and final reading are:
SB 78 by Estrada, which seeks to increase the minimum wage of household helpers or kasambahays and provide them with additional benefits. SB 138 by Senators Antonio Trillanes IV, Drilon, and P. Cayetano which seeks to amend Presidential Decree 996 to require mandatory basic immunization services against Hepatitis-B for infants SB 480 by Estrada which seeks to amend the Family Code of the Philippines to allow either spouse to mortgage or dispose of his or her exclusive property without the consent of other spouse SB 1052 by Sen. Manny Villar which also seeks to amend the Family Code of the Philippines to allow a Filipino spouse of an alien spouse to remarry in the Philippines even if the marriage and divorce was obtained abroad SB 2559 by Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri which seeks to grant Philippine citizenship to American import Marcus Douthit to allow him to play for the Smart Gilas Pilpinas Team in major Asian basketball tournaments SB 2671 by Trillanes which seeks to strengthen the bureaucracy by professionalizing the ranks of government managers and executives. SB 2726 by Sen. Francis Escudero which seeks to strike out vagrancy as a punishable crime under Article 202 of the Revised Penal Code. SB 2748 by Trillanes which seeks the "expeditious and timely" release of the retirement pay, pension, and other benefits of government employees, except that from the GSIS, within 30 days after retirement. SB 2802 by Estrada, and Senators Edgardo Angara and Miriam Defensor-Santiago which seeks to restructure daycares into early childhood education centers and craft a formal curriculum for pre-school pupilsto help them cope with elementary lessons. SB 2808 by Senators Villar, Santiago, Escudero, Revilla, and Gregorio Honasan which seeks to increase the equivalent rate of each day served by prisoners in jail as subsidiary penalty. First time During its first few months, Congress was also able to enact the General Appropriations Act of 2011, giving a P1.645-trillion budget to the national government. The speedy passage of which allowed the President to sign it in the same year it was submitted—the first time in 11 years. Enrile admitted, however, that they had some delays in their legislative work because they had to reorganize. "We had to restudy the whole thing but that is normal. As we go along, in the next session, I’m sure we’ll be acting faster on many of these bills," he said. The Senate was also supposed to serve as an impeachment court for the trial of former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, who resigned even before the Senate could begin the trial. - RSJ, GMA News 
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