Fails to pass P1.16-billion proposed Dengvaxia supplemental budget
By Meanne Corvera
Eagle News Service
The proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law which President Rodrigo Duterte said would provide lasting peace in Mindanao hurdled the Senate on the last day of session.
The measure garnered a unanimous vote from the senators, who all voted except for Senator Manny Pacquiao, who was in General Santos at that time, and Leila de Lima, who is detained in Camp Crame over drug-related cases.
In the Senate version, the original “Bangsamoro territory” that was supposed to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was changed to a “Bangsamoro jurisdiction.”
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon’s proposal to remove Palawan as part of the region was accepted in the Senate version.
It was also made clear in that version that the Bangsamoro government was not separate from the state and was merely an autonomous region, which meant that the “reserved powers” for the same were removed in the Senate version as proposed also by Drilon.
For this, Drilon argued that Section 17 Article 10 of the Constitution was clear on the fact that all powers and responsibilities emanate from the national government.
As a result, residents of the Bangsamoro will also be considered citizens of the Philippines, with the same flag and national anthem as those of the republic.
The proposal of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission for the Bangsamoro police to be a separate entity from the Philippine National Police was also rejected in the Senate version.
The bicameral conference committee is expected to reconcile the BBL versions of the House and the Senate in the first week of July.
P1.16-billion Dengvaxia supplemental budget
But the proposed P1.16-billion supplemental budget for those administered the Dengvaxia vaccine, which was passed by the Senate committee on finance led by Senator Loren Legarda, did not make it past the Senate plenary on the last day of session.
This was despite the fact that Duterte certified as urgent the measure that seeks to fund the medical needs of the vaccinees.
Drilon noted there was a lack of quorum after the vote on the proposed BBL early Thursday, May 31.
The measure may be tackled upon resumption of session on July 23.
The House of Representatives has already passed its version of the budget.