On Monday, July 1, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, commonly referred to as Tito Sotto, has filed 10 of his pet bills for the upcoming 18th Congress. Among the senators, he is the first to file his bills for the new Congress which will open in three weeks, on July 22.
Regarding the order where the senators will be filing bills and resolutions for the 18th Congress, Senate Secretary Myra Marie Villarica shares that it “shall be in accordance with the principle of seniority or length of service of each Senator.”
July 1 to 4 will be the first round of filing then the second one to follow will be on July 8 to 11 wherein senators may file up to 10 bills each per round.
After Tito Sotto, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, Sen. Francis Pangilinan, and Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto will follow.
Among the first Senate bills to be filed: seeking to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility, combating fake news and terrorism.
According to Sotto’s office, here’s the complete list of the Senate President’s first 10 priority measures includes:
- Medical Scholarship Bill
- Anti-Drug Penal Institution Bill
- Drug Enforcement Authority Bill
- Dangerous Drugs Court Bill
- SIM Card Registration Bill
- Anti-Fake News Bill
- Terrorism Prevention Bill
- Hybrid Election Bill
- 14th-Month Pay Bill
- A bill increasing the penalty for perjury
The Anti-False Content Bill or Anti-Fake News Bill seeks to prohibit the publication and proliferation of false content on the internet. This will provide measures to counteract the effects it has and will prescribe penalties for these acts.
Sotto also filed for a bill that seeks to require employers in the private sector to remunerate the 14th-month pay.
Amending the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, Senate President Vicente Sotto III re-filed the Senate Bill which seeks to lower the minimum age of criminal liability (MACL) from 15 years old to 12 years old.
In the third round of filing, on a “first come, first served” basis, the senators may file any number of bills or resolutions.
What do you think of the bills that were mentioned? Do you have any thoughts? Share them with us in the comments below.
