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Congress Watch
Weekly News Summary
October 30- November 5, 2010

 

House passes bail exemption for the poor

Nueva Ecija Rep. Joseph Gilbert Violago filed House Bill 80, which exempts poor but first-time offenders from paying bail if the crime allegedly committed imposes only a maximum imprisonment of six years.

The bill, also known as the “Poor Litigants Equalization Act of 2010,” will temporarily free the accused with the court ensuring s/he will not flee or hide from the law.

“While the Constitution guarantees that no person shall be denied the equal protection of law, it is evident that in Philippine society, existing laws appear to favor the rich more than those belonging to the lower economic strata,” said Violago.

2011 budget subject to re-alignment

The 2011 budget has not been finalized as Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya, chairman of the House committee on appropriations, confirmed that there are “quite a handful” of realignments and amendments in the budget bill.

Abaya identified 5 to 6 changes mostly on public works and infrastructure, education, and agriculture.

“You see realignments for the Department of Education. You see specific provisions in the CCT particularly the oversight committee and the use of savings is in there, realignment for building of schools, maternal health facilities and immunization, also specific provision on the implementation of CARL to ensure that 20 percent of your farm-to-market roads benefit the agrarian reform beneficiaries and also agricultural inputs will also be in there with P300 million or so,” the appropriations committee head said in an interview.

Palace: Php2.2B not pork barrel for Mrs. Arroyo

Following reports about the alleged Php2.2-billion pork barrel of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the chief executive’s office denied it was pork barrel but a lump sum of two infrastructure projects in Central Luzon.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the former administration had secured the foreign loans for lahar and flood containment and development highway in Central Luzon and that it was a “necessity” to avoid hazards to nearby communities.

Part of the fund, Php1.61 billion, will be used for flood control projects in Porac-Gumain River and Pasac Delta Area, Php1.32 billion will come from the foreign loan granted by Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) while some Php289 million will be shouldered by the Philippine government. On the other hand, Php590.85 million will be spent for the Sta.Cruz, Lubao-Dinalupihan section of the Gapan-San Fernando-Olongapo Road project Phase II. Php485.4 million will be sourced from the Korean Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) and Php105.42 million from the Philippine government.

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