Bangsamoro Law prayoridad ng Senado ngayong 2015

Senate president Franklin Drilon (Malacanang Photo Bureau)

Sinabi ni Senate President Franklin Drilon na isa ang Bangsamoro Basic Law sa mga prayoridad na kailangang maipasa sa Senado ngayong taon upang tuluyan nang makamit ang kapayapaan sa Mindanao at masiguro ang paglago ng ekonomiya sa bansa.

Patuloy umano ang pagsasagawa ng pagdinig hinggil dito ng Senate committee on local government and peace unification na pinamumunuan nina Senador Bongbong Marcos at Teofisto Guingona III at Senate committee on constitutional amendments and revision codes na pinangungunahan naman ni Senador Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

“The present situation provides many opportunities towards sustainable peace. We cannot fail our brothers and sisters in Mindanao. The Senate is one with the administration in its goal to pass the BBL, and we remain confident that even with the many important debates, we can pass the BBL within the year,” pahayag ni Drilon.

“We cannot afford to err on this most-sought piece of legislation, if we truly want to secure this peace in Mindanao which we have now realized after decades of hostilities. It is therefore incumbent upon us to make sure that the efforts exerted by both panels will not be put in vain, by ensuring that the Bangsamoro Law falls within the four corners of the Constitution, and that it can withstand judicial scrutiny,” dagdag pa nito.

Bukod sa Bangsamoro Basic Law, isa pa sa pagtutuunan ng pansin ng Senado ay ang Build Operate Transfer Law upang magkaroon ng mas matibay na Public-Private partnerships.

“In 2014, the Senate passed important legislation on social and health services, and education, such as the law on automatic Philhealth coverage for senior citizens, the Graphic Health Warning Act, and the Iskolar ng Bayan Act. This year, we are directing our efforts to the economic sector, to ensure that the nation’s progress will not be hindered by events in the local and global markets,” ani Drilon.

 “We need to create a better enabling policy environment for Public-Private Partnerships. We need to invite more investments from the private sector through the most appropriate incentives, and at the same time, our policies need to ensure that the buying public will get fair and reasonable prices and efficient services from such PPP projects or ventures,” dagdag pa nito.

Nais din ni Drilon na makakuha ng mas malaking kita sa industriya ng pagmimina sa pamamagitan pagsusog sa ilang batas na may kaugnayan dito.

“Our view is that we need to increase the government’s share from mining revenues, since it is imperative that the Filipino people must have their fair share in an economic activity such as mining, which involves the extraction of our natural, finite and limited non-renewable resources. The minerals are owned by the Filipino people, and not by those who have mining licenses,” aniya.