Bago magbakasyon para sa Holy Week break, inaprubahan sa Kamara de Representantes ang panukalang batas na ibasura ang prangkisa ng Swara Sug Media Corp. na nasa likod ng Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), na broadcast network ng Kingdom of Jesus Christ Church ni Pastor Apollo Quibiloy. Lusot ang resolusyon para amyendahan ang economic provisions sa Saligang Batas ng bansa.

Inaprubahan ng mga kongresista sa ikatlo at huling pagbasa ang House Bill 9710, na nagbabasura sa prangkisa ng Swara Sug dahil umano sa pagkakalat ng maling impormasyon at paglilipat ng ownership nang walang pahintulot ng Kongreso, at iba pang kasalanan.

Umabot sa 284 na kongresista ang bumoto pabor sa panukala, apat ang tumutol at apat ang hindi bumoto.

Ang panukala ay inihain ni 1-Rider party-list Rodge Gutierrez matapos umere sa SMNI ang isang episode na inakusahan ng anchor na si Eric Celiz si Speaker Martin Romualdez na gumastos umano ng mahigit P1 bilyon sa foreign trips.

Kinalaunan, inamin ni Celiz na wala siyang patunay sa kaniyang alegasyon at humingi ng paumanhin.

Sa kabila nito, hindi iniurong ni Gutierrez ang panukala at ipinagpatuloy ang pagtalakay dito dahil sa iba pa umanong paglabag na ginagawa ng Swara Sug sa kanilang prangkisa na ipinagkaloob ng Kongreso noong 2019.

“SMNI has engaged in red-tagging and fake news peddling, labeling members of the House, the former Vice President of the Philippines [Leni Robredo], and private persons as members of the New People's Army," ani Gutierrez.

"The [franchise] grantee corporation also attempted to create discord between the Upper and the Lower House by insinuating that unnamed and unverified Senate sources have claimed that Congress had spent P1.8 billion in travel expenses in 2023 without any basis or proof,” patuloy niya.

Dagdag pa ng kongresista, “In fact, this baseless allegation was subsequently disproved by no less than the head of the Finance Department of the House of Representatives. Clearly, all these acts of SMNl run contrary to its mandate provided under Section 4 of the law that granted its franchise."

Economic Chacha, aprubado rin

Kasamang inaprubahan ng Kamara sa ikatlo at huling pagbasa ang Resolution of Both Houses 7, na naglalayong amyendahan ang 1987 Constitution para payagan ang mga dayuhang negosyante na magmay-ari ng ilang mahahalagang industriya sa bansa.

Ayon kay Speaker Martin Romualdez, ang pag-alis sa probisyon sa Konstitusyon na naglilimita sa foreign ownership ng ilang sektor ay “last piece in the puzzle of investment measures” ng administrasyon ni Pangulong Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

Nakasaad sa RBH 7 ang pag-alis sa 40% foreign ownership limit sa public utilities, education at advertising firms. Mayroong 289 na kongresista ang bumoto para dito, pito ang tumutol, at dalawa ang hindi bumoto.

“These changes, if ratified by our people in a plebiscite, will greatly boost these measures, including our President’s investment missions abroad which have generated actual investments and pledges in the billions of dollars and created thousands of jobs,” pahayag ni Romualdez.

“We heard the wise counsel and suggestions of the resource persons and experts we invited to our hearings. We assure the business community and our people that we are working on the other factors that affect investments, like ease of doing business, the high cost of electricity, infrastructure, and similar issues,” dagdag pa niya.

Hihintayin naman na maipasa ng Senado ang bersiyon nila ng economic Cha-cha upang maaprubahan ito ng Kongreso bago papirmahan kay Marcos upang ganap na maging batas.

19 na priority bills, lusot

Ibinida rin ni Romualdez na 19 priority bills ng administrasyon Marcos ang naipasa ng Kamara bago sila magbakasyon.

“We have done our homework. Our accomplishments reflect our proactive stance in catering to the needs of the people by passing these much-needed legislation that are attuned to the Philippine Development Plan and the 8-Point Socio-economic Agenda under the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework of His Excellency, President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, Jr.,” sabi ng lider ng Kamara.

“Wala po tayong backlog sa trabaho. Tapos natin ang mga napagkasunduang assignment bago pa man dumating ang deadline. Ang grado natin sa LEDAC: 100 percent,” dagdag niya.

Ang tinutukoy na mga panukalang batas na ipinasa ng Kamara sa ikatlo at huling pagbasa ay:

  •     Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital Accounting System
  •     Negros Island Region
  •     Philippine Maritime Zones Act
  •     Amendments to the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act
  •     Philippine Defense Industry Development Act (PDIDA)/Self-Reliant Defense Posture Act
  •     Valuation Reform bill
  •     Waste-to-Energy bill
  •     Instituting a National Citizens Service Training (NCST) Program
  •     E-Government/E-Governance Act
  •     Anti-Financial Accounts Scamming Act (AFASA)
  •     Enabling law for the Natural Gas Industry
  •     Value Added Tax on Digital Services
  •     Open Access in Data Transmission Act
  •     Military and Uniformed Personnel Pension Reform bill
  •     Blue Economy Act
  •     Amendments to the Government Procurement Reform Act
  •     Act Establishing the Department of Water Resources and Services
  •     Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program Act and
  •     Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy (Create More)

Ang nasabing mga panukala ay kabilang sa Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) priority measures na itinakdang maipapasa sa darating na Hunyo.  

Magsisimula sa Huwebes, Marso 21, ang bakasyon ng Kongreso para sa Holy Week break na magtatagal hanggang sa Abril 28.—FRJ, GMA Integrated News