Monday, July 13, 2009 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES [ BusinessWorld Online ]
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo expects to sign a new land reform law on August 8, the Palace announced, even as Congress has yet to ratify a conference committee version approved shortly after legislators took a break early in June.
Malacañang claimed the Senate and the House of Representatives would ratify the bill on July 27 when Mrs. Arroyo delivers her last State of the National Address (SONA) before a joint meeting of Congress.
Scheduling issues will likely prevent this but not to the extent of scuttling the Palace’s signing schedule, a legislator said.
House Majority Leader Arthur D. Defensor, Sr. said Congress, which usually tackles only housekeeping issues on day one of its resumption of sessions, had no agenda other than the SONA for that date.
"We cannot do that [ratification of land reform bill] on the opening day. The agenda of Congress is only the SONA," he said in an interview.
The House will likely ratify the reconciled version the following day, Mr. Defensor said.
Senators were not immediately available for comment.
At the start of each regular session, the two chambers meet separately in the morning for opening ceremonies that also include the referral of new bills to the concerned committees. Sessions end shortly before noon and the two chambers meet in a joint session in the afternoon for the SONA. This session is adjourned right after the President’s message.
Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser C. Pangandaman said at least one million hectares would be distributed during the five-year extension proposed under the measure.
The new Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) will get P150 billion in funding. It will be retroactive to July 1 as a six-month provisional extension — passed by Congress after wrangling stalled approval of a new law — expired last June 30.
The original 10-year CARP under Republic Act 6657 was signed into law by then President Corazon C. Aquino in 1988. RA 8532 extended it to the end of 2008. — B. U. Allauigan
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