Nograles: Pork barrel Web site up in 2 weeks
04/20/2008 | 06:18 PM
MANILA, Philippines - If the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee plans to put up a Web site on its investigations into graft-ridden deals, the House of Representatives plans to set up its own new Web site, this time on pork barrel funds.
A statement on the House Web site said the site's development team would make the presentation this week.
"The development team will make their presentation this Tuesday and hopefully we will be able to have it publicly accessible in the next two weeks," Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr. said.
When he took over the House's top post last February, Nograles revamped the House's public information unit and instructed it to "defend" the pork barrel funds.
The pork barrel fund system, which allows lawmakers to identify projects for funding, had been criticized as a temptation for graft and corruption.
Congress is due to resume session on Monday.
On the eve of Congress' resumption of session, the House lined up 15 measures for approval before sine die adjournment in June.
However, Nograles admitted the picture would not clear up until Tuesday's Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) meeting at Malacañang on Tuesday.
Initially on the House list of priorities are the controversial Philippine Baselines Bill, the proposed tax exemption for minimum wage earners and the Cheaper Medicines Law, the statement said.
Likewise included in the agenda are the fast tracking of committee deliberations and the approval of the corporate farming and anti-hoarding measures that the Speaker and agriculture committee chairman Rep. Abraham Mitra would file upon the resumption of session.
"We will have our hands full starting Monday. We have a long array of measures, which we intend to approve before we adjourn sine die this June," he said.
Measures the House plans to push before June 30 include:
* The omnibus proposals to strengthen the Political Parties (HBs 124, 1677, 2054, 2128, 2268);
* The proposal to amend the EPIRA Law (HB 3124);
* The proposed Access to Information Act (HBs 194, 665, 2021, 2059, 2176, 2223, 2293)
* The proposed amendments to the Overseas Absentee Voting Act (HBs 2046, 2812, 3209);
* The amendments to the Cooperative Code of the Philippines (HBs 81, 316, 513, 645, 1256, 2874, 3207);
* The proposed Magna Carta for Agricultural Development Workers (HBs 793, 1522);
* The proposal to Establish the Career Executive System (HBs 2532,2535,366);
* The proposal to Establish Personal Equity and Retirement Account or PERA (HBs 94, 1685, 1730, 2875)
Also on the advance stages of approval are:
* The creation of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (HB 662,1329,1363);
* The Sustainable Forest Management Bill (HB 2189);
* The proposal for Additional Retirement Benefits for the members of the Judiciary (HBs 882, 1238, 1339, 1865, 2001, 2030, 2820, 2868 and 3071);
* The proposal to grant Special Allowance to Judges of Municipal Trial Courts and Shariah Courts ( HB 2030);
* Compensation for Human Rights Victims ( HBs 921, 922, 1114);
* The proposal to grant Old-Age pension for life for senior citizens ( HBs 00444, 2552, 2765);
* The transfer of Philippine Coast Guard to the Department of Transportation and Communications (HBs 20, 70, 461, 517, 640, 1112,
2932)
Nograles also said he would push for the revival of the Responsible Parenthood bill in response to warnings of overpopulation.
"I really think that we have to find the best solution to also address our population problem. Food security and a sound population management program hold the key in addressing widespread poverty in our country," he said.
He said revisiting the Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population Development Act of 2007 pushed by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman is a "timely move." - GMANews.TV
A statement on the House Web site said the site's development team would make the presentation this week.
"The development team will make their presentation this Tuesday and hopefully we will be able to have it publicly accessible in the next two weeks," Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr. said.
When he took over the House's top post last February, Nograles revamped the House's public information unit and instructed it to "defend" the pork barrel funds.
The pork barrel fund system, which allows lawmakers to identify projects for funding, had been criticized as a temptation for graft and corruption.
Congress is due to resume session on Monday.
On the eve of Congress' resumption of session, the House lined up 15 measures for approval before sine die adjournment in June.
However, Nograles admitted the picture would not clear up until Tuesday's Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) meeting at Malacañang on Tuesday.
Initially on the House list of priorities are the controversial Philippine Baselines Bill, the proposed tax exemption for minimum wage earners and the Cheaper Medicines Law, the statement said.
Likewise included in the agenda are the fast tracking of committee deliberations and the approval of the corporate farming and anti-hoarding measures that the Speaker and agriculture committee chairman Rep. Abraham Mitra would file upon the resumption of session.
"We will have our hands full starting Monday. We have a long array of measures, which we intend to approve before we adjourn sine die this June," he said.
Measures the House plans to push before June 30 include:
* The omnibus proposals to strengthen the Political Parties (HBs 124, 1677, 2054, 2128, 2268);
* The proposal to amend the EPIRA Law (HB 3124);
* The proposed Access to Information Act (HBs 194, 665, 2021, 2059, 2176, 2223, 2293)
* The proposed amendments to the Overseas Absentee Voting Act (HBs 2046, 2812, 3209);
* The amendments to the Cooperative Code of the Philippines (HBs 81, 316, 513, 645, 1256, 2874, 3207);
* The proposed Magna Carta for Agricultural Development Workers (HBs 793, 1522);
* The proposal to Establish the Career Executive System (HBs 2532,2535,366);
* The proposal to Establish Personal Equity and Retirement Account or PERA (HBs 94, 1685, 1730, 2875)
Also on the advance stages of approval are:
* The creation of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (HB 662,1329,1363);
* The Sustainable Forest Management Bill (HB 2189);
* The proposal for Additional Retirement Benefits for the members of the Judiciary (HBs 882, 1238, 1339, 1865, 2001, 2030, 2820, 2868 and 3071);
* The proposal to grant Special Allowance to Judges of Municipal Trial Courts and Shariah Courts ( HB 2030);
* Compensation for Human Rights Victims ( HBs 921, 922, 1114);
* The proposal to grant Old-Age pension for life for senior citizens ( HBs 00444, 2552, 2765);
* The transfer of Philippine Coast Guard to the Department of Transportation and Communications (HBs 20, 70, 461, 517, 640, 1112,
2932)
Nograles also said he would push for the revival of the Responsible Parenthood bill in response to warnings of overpopulation.
"I really think that we have to find the best solution to also address our population problem. Food security and a sound population management program hold the key in addressing widespread poverty in our country," he said.
He said revisiting the Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population Development Act of 2007 pushed by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman is a "timely move." - GMANews.TV
