Belmonte opens sessions with a commitment to sustained growth

and reforms
Stressing that so much more needs to be done, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. today declared
that growth and social transformation must be sustained.
Indeed, successes hae been astounding in the arena of our goernance. But, we face the
bigger challenge of sustaining the economic growth, and consolidating the goernance reforms
initiated by the !"uino administration, Belmonte said.
#hen he banged the gael signalling the opening of the second regular session of the $ouse
of %epresentaties of the &'
th
(ongress, the Speaker took no time to spell out numerous legislatie
priorities to accelerate inclusie growth and sustain the reforms for good goernance achieed in the
past four years.
Belmonte noted that to this day, )* years since the ratification of the &+,* (onstitution,
arious proisions hae yet to be fully operatie due to the absence of releant implementing laws.
-o opportunity must be missed, and no effort spared . this momentum of growth and social
transformation must be sustained, he insisted.
!mong the priorities specified by the Speaker include/ 0a1 $B 23,* or the !ct prohibiting
the establishment of 4olitical 5ynasties, now up for plenary debate6 0b1 the Freedom of Information
7aw, now awaiting final committee action6 0c1 the awaited passage of a Bangsamoro Basic 7aw that
shall establish a solid framework for genuine peace and enduring stability in 8indanao within the
bounds of the (onstitution6 and 0d1 the proposed amendments to the restrictie economic proisions
of the (onstitution that constrain the flow of ital foreign direct inestments in strategic sectors in
the economy.
Belmonte, likewise cited e"ually important legislatie measures intended to create a more
conducie enironment for the inflow of inestments, and generation of more and better 9ob
opportunities for the people.
In particular the Speaker:s list consisted the following/ &1 a -ational (ompetition 7aw that
would send the right signals to inestors who are looking for a leel playing field for business6 )1 the
%ationali;ation of Fiscal Incenties and the <a= Incenties 8anagement and <ransparency !ct6 and
21 the passage of amendatory bills on the Build >perate <ransfer 7aw, the (abotage 7aw, and the
?lectric 4ower Industry %eform !ct or ?4I%!.
7ikewise, the $ouse leader stressed the need to gie focus on the nation:s non@renewable
natural resources, making sure that the mining industry yields fair and reasonable priate gains that
will redound to the competitieness and efficiency of the industry, while guaranteeing goernment:s
9ust and lawful share from the proceeds of economic actiities on natural resources without pre9udice
to the protection of the enironment.
NR # 3541C
JULY 28, 2014
#e hae many other ital measures in the pipeline, and I hae only cited some of the key
measures re"uiring our priority attention for this session, Belmonte added.
!cknowledging that recent rulings of the Supreme (ourt on the 4riority 5eelopment
!ssistance Fund 045!F1 and the 5isbursement !cceleration 4rogram 05!S41 hae created new
challenges to the legislature, Belmonte said #e need to e=plore new legislatie paths to bringing
needed resources and serices to our people.
-oting that the 4resident, after deliering his S>-!, will submit to (ongress the proposed
)A&3 national goernment budget, Belmonte assured that, like the last for years, without fail, we
will pass the B!! on time, banishing the nightmare of re@enacted budgets for the national
consciousness.
<he prompt submission of the proposed national budget to (ongress by the 4resident, and
the hard work, discipline, and commitment of eery member of (ongress to scrutini;e and approe
the budget well before the start of the ne=t fiscal year, hae made this possible, he pointed out.
(orollary to the constitutional power of the purse, Belmonte also underlined (ongress: power
of legislatie oersight which would strengthen accountability mechanisms and ensure the proper
and lawful allocation and utili;ation of public funds.
(iting the uni"ue positions of pro=imity to the people, Belmonte cited that members of
(ongress, in consultation with the arious local deelopment councils, should continue to help
identify local needs and concerns that may be oerlooked by national goernment agencies, or which
could not be addressed by local goernment units due to limited financial resources, and included in
the B!!.
%elatie to the oersight function, Belmonte directed eery $ouse (ommittee to chart an
oersight plan of action oer departments, agencies and entities whose mandates fall within their
respectie committee 9urisdictions.
! year@round (ommittee@based oersight agenda will transform (ongress into an effectie
hori;ontal accountability mechanism in our system of goernment, able to conduct early detection of
waste, fraud, and mismanagement, as well as institute remedial measures against acts of malfeasance
in goernment, he reealed.
<o further promote the power of legislatie oersight, the Speaker directed the $ouse %ules
(ommittee to study the creation of a 4ublic !ccounts and !udit (ommittee, with 9urisdiction to call
and hold to account all national goernment agencies, local goernment units, goernment@owned
and controlled corporations, and other goernment instrumentalities for their use of public funds, and
to undertake legislatie action to improe transparency of goernment operations. 02A1 dpt