SPEECH DELIVERED BY SPEAKER FELICIANO BELMONTE JR.

AT THE CLOSING OF THE SECOND REGULAR SESSION OF THE 15TH CONGRESS 6 JUNE 2012 FELLOW MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE: WE CLOSE OUR SECOND REGULAR SESSION IN THE 15TH CONGRESS WITH GREAT OPTIMISM THAT THE REFORMS AND MEASURES WE HAVE ENACTED HAVE CONTRIBUTED WELL TO THE LARGER TASK OF NATIONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. ON THE OUTSET, LET ME CONGRATULATE AND THANK ALL OF YOU FOR A JOB WELL DONE. THE RECENT DECISION HANDED DOWN BY THE SENATE TO CONVICT SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE RENATO CORONA WAS A HISTORICAL ONE. IT WAS HISTORIC NOT MERELY IN THE SENSE OF BEING THE FIRST BUT BECAUSE IT NOW SETS THE STANDARD BY WHICH THE FITNESS AND INTEGRITY OF A PUBLIC OFFICIAL CAN BE GAUGED ACCORDINGLY. THE DICTUM THAT NO PERSON IS ABOVE THE LAW FINDS ITS RESONANCE AND MEANING IN THE IMPEACHMENT OF THE CHIEF JUSTICE. TO PUBLIC OFFICIALS, IT SENDS A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT PUBLIC SERVANTS ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE FOR THEIR
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ACTIONS. TO OUR PEOPLE, IT SENDS AN AFFIRMATION THAT OUR DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS AND PROCESSES SEEK TO PROTECT THE WELFARE OF EVERY MAN, AND THAT JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOR, BUT ALWAYS WITH COMPASSION, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH EVERY MANS RIGHT TO DUE PROCESS. MY DEAR COLLEAGUES, WE CLOSE OUR 2ND REGULAR SESSION IN THE AFTERMATH OF POSITIVE NEWS CONCERNING OUR ECONOMY. OUR ECONOMY EXPANDED BY 6.4 PERCENT IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THE YEAR. THIS IS MUCH HIGHER THAN THE 4.9 PERCENT FORECASTED. ACCORDING TO OUR NATIONAL STATISTICAL AGENCY, THE PHILIPPINES HAS THE HIGHEST FIRST QUARTER GROWTH IN THE REGION. WE STARTED THE SECOND REGULAR SESSION ENJOYING THE HIGHEST PUBLIC APPROVAL RATING EVER GIVEN TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND ITS LEADERS SINCE THE RESTORATION OF CONGRESS IN 1987. WE CLOSE THE SECOND REGULAR SESSION RIDING ONCE AGAIN THE CREST OF PUBLIC TRUST AS THE LATEST SURVEYS SHOW THAT OUR PUBLIC APPROVAL RATINGS CONTINUE TO RISE NOW AT 45% ACCORDING TO PULSE ASIA THE BEST PROOF THAT OUR PEOPLE CAN SEE THAT WE ARE DOING A GOOD JOB. CLEARLY, AS A COUNTRY, WE MUST NOT LOSE
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THIS MOMENTUM OF CHANGE AND REFORM THAT IS NOW AFFORDED TO US. RECALL THAT WE TIMELY ENACTED THE P1.8TRILLION 2012 NATIONAL BUDGET IN SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNMENTS GOAL OF ACHIEVING RAPID, INCLUSIVE AND SUSTAINED ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. APART FROM THE NATIONAL BUDGET, I AM MOST PLEASED WITH OUR OVERALL RECORD HARVEST OF LEGISLATION. FOR THE FIRST AND SECOND REGULAR SESSIONS, THROUGH 128 SESSION DAYS SINCE, WE PROCESSED A TOTAL OF 3,387 LEGISLATIVE MEASURES FOR AN UNSURPASSED RECORD OF 27 LEGISLATIVE MEASURES PROCESSED PER SESSION DAY. OF THE MEASURES WE PASSED TO DATE, 253 ARE NATIONAL BILLS, 16 OF WHICH ARE NOW REPUBLIC ACTS. AMONG THE KEY MEASURES THAT WE ENACTED INTO LAW ARE: INSTITUTIONALIZING KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION INTO THE BASIC EDUCATION SYSTEM, PROMOTING FINANCIAL VIABILITY AND FISCAL DISCIPLINE IN GOVERNMENT CORPORATIONS, EXTENDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LIFELINE RATE UNDER THE EPIRA LAW, ALLOWING THE EMPLOYMENT OF NIGHT WORKERS, PROVIDING FOR MANDATORY BASIC IMMUNIZATION SERVICES FOR INFANTS AND CHILDREN, DECRIMINALIZING VAGRANCY, AND THE ACT REQUIRING ALL CONCERNED GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO ENSURE THE EARLY
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RELEASE OF THE RETIREMENT PAY, PENSIONS, GRATUITIES AND OTHER BENEFITS OF RETIRING GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES. TO IMPROVE GOVERNANCE AND PROMOTE A REGIME OF PEACE AND STABILITY, WE APPROVED ON THIRD READING, AMONG OTHERS: AN ACT DEFINING THE MARITIME ZONES OF THE PHILIPPINES, ESTABLISHING THE ARCHIPELAGIC SEA LANES IN THE COUNTRY, AND THE INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT ACT. TO HELP REDUCE POVERTY AND ENHANCE SOCIAL WELFARE, KEY MEASURES THAT WE APPROVED ON THIRD READING INCLUDE THE UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES TO ALL FILIPINOS, THE LADDERIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM, THE OPEN LEARNING AND DISTANCE EDUCATION ACT, OPEN HIGH SCHOOL SYSTEM ACT, AND THE CREDIT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR OVERSEAS WORKERS. TOWARDS MAKING OUR ECONOMY GROW FASTER, APPROVED ON THIRD READING WERE SUCH CRITICAL MEASURES AS THE INVESTMENTS AND INCENTIVES CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES, THE CUSTOMS MODERNIZATION AND TARIFF ACT, AND THE CREATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY. AND TO TAKE CARE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT, OUR MEASURES APPROVED ON THIRD READING INCLUDE THE HAZARDOUS AND RADIOACTIVE

WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT, THE MARINE PROTECTED AREAS ACT, SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT ACT, AND THE SURVEY OF CADASTRAL LOTS IN THE COUNTRY. TONIGHT, WE HAVE RATIFIED THE BICAM REPORTS ON THE AMENDMENTS TO STRENGTHEN THE ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING LAW, THE DATA PRIVACY ACT AND THE PEOPLES SURVIVAL FUND. WE HAVE ALSO ADOPTED THE SENATE VERSION OF THE ACT DEFINING THE CRIME OF FINANCING TERRORISM. MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE HAVE PASSED ON THIRD READING THE SIN TAX BILL. IN CLOSING, MY DEAR COLLEAGUES, THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR YOUR VALUED SUPPORT AND COMMITMENT. ALL THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS I HAVE REPORTED TODAY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOU OUR DEDICATED DEPUTY SPEAKERS, EFFICIENT MAJORITY AND MINORITY LEADERS AS WELL AS ALL COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS AND OUR ABLE SUPPORT STAFF IN THE SECRETARIAT. IN THIS SPIRIT OF UNITY, LET US NOW FORGE AHEAD AND MEET THE NEW CHALLENGES AS THEY CONFRONT US. I DECLARE THE SESSION ADJOURNED SINE DIE.