A List of Books (with References to Periodicals) on the Philippine Islands in the Library of Congress
At the Senate, radio dzBB's Nimfa Ravelo on Wednesday reported that staff members of senators started forming queues to file the first Senate bill. The 15th Congress will convene on July 26, with President-elect Benigno Simeon Aquino III delivering his first State of the Nation Address.
The dzBB report quoted personnel at the Senate Bills and Index section as saying queues started forming June 10, a day after Aquino was formally proclaimed.
Staff members of some senators would even hold shifts to make sure other senators’ personnel do not get ahead in the queue.
But Senate secretary general Emma Reyes ordered the queues removed, saying it is too early for the filing of bills. She even noted that those in the queue had no copies of bills or resolutions in their hands.
The Senate will start receiving senators' bills and resolutions at noon of June 30.
Early birds
Critical Decade: Prospects for Democracy in the Philippines in the 1990's
Among the early birds waiting to file legislative bills were staff of defeated vice presidential bet Lorna Regina "Loren" Legarda, and detained Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.
Other early birds were the staff of Senators Ramon Revilla Jr., Manuel "Lito" Lapid, Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, and Edgardo Angara; Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, defeated presidential bet Manuel Villar Jr., Senate President Pro-Tempore Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada and Miriam Santiago.
Reyes said they could only receive 10 legislative bills and resolutions initially.
At the House of Representatives, meanwhile, several members are set to file their bills with the House's Bills and Index Division.
Among the early birds are staff members of Representatives Ronald Singson (Ilocos Sur), Irvin Alcala (Quezon), Rodolfo Biazon (Muntinlupa City) and Roilo Golez (Parañaque City), according to an article on the House of Representatives website.
An official of the Indexing and Monitoring Group under the Bills and Index Service said the staff of district representatives are expected to file bills and resolutions even before the opening of Congress on July 26.
He said some lawmakers will surely re-file their bills which were not acted upon during the 14th Congress.
"We are open Monday to Thursday to accept the bills and resolution to be filed by members of the 15th congress," said Terence Grana of the Indexing and Monitoring Group at the House of Representatives.
Singson's bills include the granting of tax incentives to car manufacturers and importers of hybrid vehicles and tuition discounts and scholarship grants to qualified household helpers.
He is also set to introduce measures on the creation of the special economic zone and freeport in the province of Ilocos Sur and the Metropolitan Vigan Heritage Development Authority and the provision of benefits and incentives to accredited day care workers amending Republic Act 6972 or the Barangay Level Total Development And Protection of Children Act.
Job hunt in the Senate
Radio dzBB also reported some 240 staff members of six outgoing senators are looking for jobs with new bosses in the Senate.
These include staff members of senators Aquino, Aquilino Pimentel Jr., Rodolfo Biazon, and Manuel Roxas II; Richard Gordon and Maria Ana Consuelo Madrigal.
Legislative Agenda on Women's Issues for the New Philippine Congress
Aquino will take his oath as President on June 30, while Pimentel and Biazon have finished their second terms - the Constitution allows senators to hold a maximum of two consecutive terms - with Biazon now in the House of Representatives.
Roxas was defeated in the vice presidential race, while Madrigal and Gordon were defeated in the presidential race last May 10.
The dzBB report said some staff members of the six senators are applying to be with the staffs of incoming senators Franklin Drilon, Sergio Osmeña III, Sotto, Ralph Recto, Ferdinand Marcos, and Teofisto Guingona III. — LBG/RSJ
