(NI BERNARD TAGUINOD)

TINABLA ni out-going House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ang may 730 resolution na inihain ng mga mambabatas sa Mababang Kapulungan ng Kongreso para imbestigahan ang iba’t ibang isyu ng lipunan.

Ito ang nabatid kay Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, subalit epektibo umano ang ginawa ni Arroyo dahil naharap ng mga ito ang mga priority bills ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte.

Ayon kay Salceda, umaabot sa 744 ang resolution na inihain sa Kamara noong 17th Congress para mag-imbestiga sa iba’t ibang isyung panlipunan ang mga kaukulang Committee.

Umaabot  lamang sa 14 aniya ang binigyan ni Arroyo ng go signal na magkaroon ng imbestigasyon kaya 730 ang tinabla ng dating Pangulo habang siya ang namumuno sa Kapulungan.

“We had 744 resolutions for inquiry in aid of legislation, ilan lang pinatulan doon, 14. So we virtually had a suspension, a moratorium on inquiries so we can focus on legislation rather than investigation,” ani Salceda.

Dahil dito, nagkaroon aniya ng sapat na panahon ang mga committee sa Kamara na maipasa ang mga panukalang batas na pawang nasa priority list ng Malacanang.

“Legislation during her time was very efficient. She removed all obstacles in the process of legislation which is a lot of inquiries. 744 inquiries, e di naubos oras namin. She removed that,” dagdag ng kongresista.

Dahil dito, sa loob lamang ng halos isang taon, naipasa ang panukalang batas na kinabibilangan ng  Organic law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, Coconut Farmers & Industry Development Act, Rice Tariffication Act, Enhanced Universal Healthcare Act, Tax Amnesty Program, Revision of Constitution, National Land Use Act, Creation of Department of Disaster Resilience, End of Endo/Contractualization Act, TRAIN 2 – Trabaho Bill, Fiscal Regime for the Mining Industry, Excise Tax on Tobacco Products, Real Property Valuation and Assessment, Traffic Crisis Act, Reform in Capital Income and Financial Taxes;  Excise Tax Rates on Alcohol, Lowering of Age of Criminal Liability, Mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), Foreign Investments Act, Retail Trade Liberalization Amendments at  Public Service Act.