Senate听 OKs new Road Board abolition bill

By: Maila Ager - 6 years ago

听

MANILA, Philippines 鈥撎齏ithin just three minutes, the听Senate听unanimously adopted on 听 Tuesday听 a new version of听 a bill that will abolish the graft-tainted Road听 Board.

The new听version听of听 House Bill听 No. 7436听 was听approved by听 the House听 of Representatives on third and final reading and was听 later transmitted to the Senate.

READ:House OKs Road Board abolition bill on final reading

After听 informing听 the Senate听 that it听 received听 the bill听 from the House,听 Senate听 Majority Leader听 Juan Miguel听 Zubiri听 moved 听 to reconsider听 the听 upper chamber鈥檚 earlier approval 听 of听 the previous 听 version 听 of the measure.

On September听12, 2018,听 the Senate听 adopted听 the first version听 of听 the bill approved by the House.

But the House later recalled its approval.

When no senator听objected听 to听 his motion, Zubiri听proceeded with a new motion, this听 time, for the adoption听 of the new version of 听 HB 7436.

No senators also听 objected听 to听 Zubiri鈥檚 second motion.

With the Senate鈥檚 adoption of the new bill, 听 there is no longer need for the two chambers to meet in the bicameral conference committee.

Zubiri听 said the听 measure will be sent听 to President Rodrigo Duterte听 for signature hopefully by next week or at the latest, first week of February.

Aside from the abolition of the board,听 the new听 bill provides that all monies collected 听 from the road user鈥檚 tax will be remitted to the National Treasury under a special account in the General Fund.

The 听 fund,听 under the bill, would be earmarked solely for the construction, upgrading, repair, and rehabilitation听 of roads, bridges and road drainage听 to included in the annual General Appropriations Act.听/ gsg

READ:Senate, House leaders agree on 鈥榮hort and simple鈥� Road Board bill amendments

黑料社